


Watching Malec

by bllover587



Series: Watching their lives [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Adorable Alec Lightwood, Characters Reading Fanfiction, Characters Watching Shadowhunters, Cute Alec Lightwood, Embarrassed Alec Lightwood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Flustered Alec Lightwood, M/M, Multi, flustered magnus bane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 64,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bllover587/pseuds/bllover587
Summary: The shadowhunters and downworlders were teleported to a place where time is non- existent by an unknown being to see a coupe of glimpses of Alec's future. The time zone is like the 1st 3 episodes of the show when they teleported. And some of the things that that group is going to read or see won't be cannon.This work is also on Wattpad.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Watching their lives [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768543
Comments: 108
Kudos: 263





	1. Kidnapping

It's too loud.

That was Alec's first thought. Slowly Alec got up and discovered that there were people yelling across the room from each other. "Alec!" Alec turned the direction he heard his name being called. Much to his delight it was Jace and Isabelle, and not much to his delight Clary was with them and that little mundane friend of hers. "Finally, you've woken up." Isabelle said with a look of relief on her face. "Yeah, but where are we and what's happening." Alec said as he looked across the room. "We don't know, all I remember was getting ready for meeting Magnus Bane for the deal. Everything is a blur after that." Jace said looking across the room. "Wait, you mean I was lying here on the floor in possible danger and you guys didn't stay with me." Alec said gaining sheepish looks from the group.

"We really didn't think about it." Clary said scratching the back off her head awkwardly. "Of course you wouldn't Fray." Alec said with his resting bitch face in place. "Well us sitting here doing nothing is not going to help us figure out what is going on around here."

"I agree, let's see if we can find mom and dad." Izzy said to her siblings. "Yeah I'm going to see if my mom got here too." Clary said gaining a look of sympathy from Simon and Jace and a slight smile from Izzy. Without saying anything else Simon and Clary went to look for her mom while Jace, Alec and Isabelle looked for there parents. After a while the trio made it to the front of the crowd, where all the yelling was taking place and saw no one other than their parents and the clave yelling at someone, they also saw their little brother Max and decided to ask him what's happening instead of just asking their parents.

"Max, do you have any idea what's happening." Alec said crouching to reach max's eye level.

"Mom and Dad said that the warlock brought us here."

"What warlock?"

Max pointed to no one other than Magnus Bane, who looked fabulous. Even if he thought that he was going to be killed soon because of these accusations.

"Mom is saying that he brought us here, but the warlock keeps saying that he doesn't know how we got here or what's happening."

Just before Alec could go over there and ask the warlock himself what's happening, a blinding white light shadowed over the room causing every one to direct their attention to the little girl that came out of no where. "Who are you?" questioned inquisitor Herondale. "I'm the person who brought you here." I answered having to raise my head up slightly to look at her. "Why have you brought us here?" the inquisitor asked with malice in her voice. My eyes turned black and my nails grew longer and black as well, "So I can feast on your souls." I said in a deadly calm voice. After I said this the shadowhunters reached for their weapons while the downworlders also got ready to fight.

Just before anyone could reach me I shot up into the air and floated over everyone else in the room. Just before anyone could do anything else I started laughing, not one of those nice little laughs it was a loud ugly laugh that involved alot of snorting. "You should have see the looks on your faces." I said wiping the tears from my eyes between panted breathes as my hair and nails returned to normal. "That's not the real reason I brought you here." I said looking down at them. Slowly and hesitantly they relaxed and put their weapons away. "Then why did you bring us here?" questioned the inquisitor again.

"So that we can see the future of a shadowhunters and a downworlder, a warlock to be precise." I said which caused screams to erupt all over the room. "Shut it!" I screamed which caused everyone to be silent. "Before you say anything you're not leaving until youve watched this, plus this could probably end the way you judge and see each other and make you realize some things." I said earning looks of disbelief from the crowd. "Things like what?" Inquistor Heronadale questioned. "The downworlders will see that not all the shadowhunters are heartless and the shadowhunters will see that not all the downworlders are carefree drug addicts." I said to the crowd. "You will learn this by watching the people you think are the most strict and carefree, which are Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane. And before you start yelling again", I paused conjuring up some movie chairs and putting a list on the screen in front of the room,"This is where you guys will sit."

**Seats**   
**|** **_Max|Alec|Magnus|Madzie|_ **   
**_|Jace|Clary|Izzy|Simon|_ **   
**_|Catarina|Ragnor|Raphael|_ **   
**_|Maryse|Luke|Robert|_ **   
**_|Camille|_ **   
**_|Clave|_ **   
**_|Shadowhunters of NY|_ **   
**_|Downworlders of NY|_ **


	2. Magnus Bane-Survivor

Slowly the seats were being filled up and once all the seats were sat on I decided what they were doing to watch first. "Ok we are going to start with Mganus Bane first because well, people shadowhunter and downworlder don't like him." I said which made Magnus to say, "I don't see why, I mean just look at me." "See this is exactly why, you are a narcissist Bane." Lorenzo said to Magnus which made the latter turn around in his seat, "Don't act like you aren't one Rey, you act like you care about people for a job you don't even care about." Magnus said and then snapped his fingers. When Lorenzo tried to talk he figured out the spell that Magnus casted was a silence spell. "See this is why I love Magnus." I said causing the warlock to smile at me.

"Now we are going to watch Magnus Bane -Survivor-" I said pressing play.

Everyone in the crowd had various reactions, some shocked, some surprised, and some even stop hating Magnus a little bit. "Mr. Magnus." said a meek little voice, Magnus looked down to see no other than Madzie, "Yes sweetpea?" Magnus asked the little girl. "I think that your awesome and that if you have good friends you'll never truly be alone." Madzie said which made the older warlock to look at Catarina, Ragnor, and Raphael. "Correct you are seeetpea." Magnus said smiling at the little girl.

"I think you're badass." said a voice from Magnus' left. "Max!" hissed the handsome shadowhunter. "No, no it's ok I don't mind." Magnus said causing the older shadowhunter to look at him. "No, I just did that because he's not allowed to use that kind of language, it makes me wonder where he picked it up." Alec said glaring at his brother and sister who looked away sheepishly.

"Mm, that's a first."

"What is?"

"Usually shadowhunters would be mad because they spoked to me, not because they cursed."

"I don't see anything wrong with it after all what we just watched showed that you're a good person."

'Well this shadowhunter is most defiantly one in kind.' The warlock thought.

"Now we are going to watch the Magnus Bane everyone sees." I said snapping people out of their thoughts and making them turn their heads to the screen.

Everyone in the theater just thinks that Magnus was stupid for hitting on a shadowhunter, well except for the lightwood siblings, Simon and Clary. Isabelle and Jace look to Alec to see what he has to say to Magnus,"Why do you keep looking at me like that." Alec said as he turned to Magnus. "Like what?" Magnus asked clearly wanting the shadowhunter to answer. "I don't know, but it looks weird." Just then everyone in the theater is shocked by Alec's obliviousness, well except for his family, they know how dense Alec is when it comes to any kind of attraction or affection towards him. "I'm pretty sure it will be explained later on." Magnus said with a nervous smile plastered on his face. "Oh God, now I know what you two were talking about, Alec is repressed." Clary whispered to the duo. "Sadly." Isabelle responded thinking about how she's going to get her brother with Magnus. 'This is going to be a challenge'


	3. Alec Lightwood-Not What He Seems

"Seeing that we just Magnus I figured that we should watch Alec now." I said causing the downworlders to grimace. "Ok stop, first of all you guys know nothing about Alec so you don't have any right to judge him." Jace said causing some of the downworlders to stop grimacing. "Well said Jace." I said causing Jace to smirk up at me. "OK first we are going to see how downworlders view Alec." I said while starting the video on the big screen.

As soon as the video ended we could hear loud laughs coming form Jace, Izzy and Max causing everyone's attention to turn towards them. "What are you guys laughing about." Alec said gritting his teeth as he did so. "I'm sorry it's just you seducing someone, I couldn't see that in a thousand years, hell maybe a million." Izzy said grabbing her sides as if to keep her stomach from falling out due to laughter. "Yeah man I mean, whenever you have to be a distraction on a mission you're so awkward and you stutter." Jace said wiping tears from his eyes.

"You becoming a stuttering mess, I have to see this." Simon said causing Clary giggle. "Shut it Fray and tell your little mundane friend to do the same." Alec said causing Simon to pout and Clary to winkle her nose. "My friend has a name and it isn't mundane." Clary said to Alec causing him to narrow his eyes. "I know I just don't care." Alec said turning away from Clary not wanting to listen to her annoying voice anymore. The downworlders couldn't believe what they were seeing, the shadowhunters they knew were blood thirsty heartless animals, not kids arguing about simple things such as picking on someone. "Ok now we are going to learn a couple of things about Alec that you wouldn't expect." I said gaining everyone's attention. 

"Many people don't know that Alec is really awkward." I said causing many downworlders and a few shadowhunters to snort. "Ok don't believe me just wait until you see this." I said starting another video.

*Ignore the part where Izzy was talking about Magnus*

"Wow Alec, you have no chill." Simon said causing Clary, Jace, Isabelle and Magnus to snort. "Shut up mundane." Alec said without turning so that they wouldn't see his red face. "Aww, it's ok Alexander, it's just really cute that you're able to stutter like that." Magnus said with a smile on his face causing Alec to turn away from him. Anyone outside of the Lightwoods would have thought that Alec was just ignoring the warlock, but his family knows better than that, they knew that Alec turned away from Magnus because he's embarrassed.

"Ok now we are going to read about Alec instead of watching him." I said causing a couple of people to wonder why the sudden change. "Why are we reading about him now." Max asked. "We are going to read about Alec now because I want you to see what's going through his head, to get a better understanding of what he is thinking." I said making Max nod, clearly satisfied with my answer.

"Ok there is going to be a couple of personal things, after all we are hearing Alec's innermot thoughts so please refrain from any negative and inappropriate comments." I said glaring at everybody. 'Hearing Alexnader's thoughts, that will be pretty interesting.' Magnus thought with a big smile on his face not being able to wait to see what's going to happen next.


	4. Reading Alec

"OK now we are going to read about Alec being well Alec." I said causing the crowd to give me weird looks. "What do you mean about 'Alec being Alec' that makes no sense." Jace says causing me to roll my eyes. "Can someone please explain to Jace what I mean. Clary being the one closest to him explains. "What she means is that we are going to read about Alec being himself." Clary said as if she was explaining something to child causing Jace to pout. "Ok the first thing we are going to read is 'Reasons to Hate Parties' by CheerfullyCynical." I said causing everyone to gain a confused expression. "I thought that we were going to read about Alec." Simon said with confusion clear in his tone. "We are reading about Alec, it's a story of him that will happen in the near future and it was written by one of my friends that is also an unexplainable being with power." I said making Simon nod. "Now I'm going to read to you, but don't worrying you are also going to follow along with your own paper," I said pausing to snap my fingers giving everyone their own paper, "and I'm able to impersonate other people's voices so I would sound just like the people in the story.

**Alec hated parties.**

Izzy and Jace snort. Saying Alec hated parties was an understatement. He fucking despised them. He hated them with a burning passion. A passion that was never going to go out.

**He had thought, at one point in his life, that he was simply not used to...Letting go. Crowds, according to his many tutors at Idris and the New York Institute, were a distraction. A Shadowhunter was always supposed to be alert – be ready with a weapon in your hand before the enemy had a chance to attack. With a crowd, there were too many sounds and lights – to many interruptions to properly take in your surroundings.**

"Ugh shadowhunters, aren't they ever able to let things go and enjoy themselves?" Ragnor asked no one but almost all the downworlders muttered in agreement. The shadowhunters stayed silent wanting to know what was going to happen next.

**So, when he started dating Magnus, he tried to relax and join his family at the Hunter's Moon, just as Jace and his sister always managed to do.**

"WHAT!!!!!????" Almost everyone in the room screamed Alec the loudest, never that he would get into a relationship with a man, a downworlder no less. As for Magnus he looked at Alec trying to understand why he would go for a shadowhunter, a Lightwood in fact. The shadowhunters except Jace, Clary, Izzy and Max had looks of disgust and horror especially Maryse and Robert. How could a shadowhunter like Alec ever fall for a man, a downworlder and one of the worst, Magnus Bane. The man was a lothario even among warlocks. The shadowhunters stayed quiet deciding they were going to question Alec after the story.

**His siblings had handed him drink after drink, thinking that he would help him have a good time. However, it didn't help at all – In fact, that feeling of "letting go" was taken to an extreme when he got even the slightest bit tipsy. He always felt disoriented and on edge when he couldn't focus properly. The first time he had gotten past the line of tipsy, he** **_hated_ ** **it. Thank Raziel it was with Jace and Izzy instead of Magnus – Instead of enjoying the high, he had demanded that his siblings let him sleep it off. Alec fell asleep right on the table to their mocking laughter.**

"Wow you're a lightweight, Lightwood." Commented a certain dark curly haired werewolf from the crowd. The crowd erupted in laughter Izzy and Jace being the loudest causing Alec to blush fiercely. "It's not my fault." Alec muttered. "Aww darling it's ok. Drinking isn't for everyone." Magnus said making Alec turn further away from him.

**It took everything in him to admit to Magnus that he** _**really** _ **didn't like drinking. Magnus had look scandalized at first, mocking him just a bit and saying he just didn't find the right kind of drink he liked, but when he realized that Alec was actually quite embarrassed it by it, Magnus had been the amazing boyfriend he always was and immediately banished the offensive alcohol with a smile. They spent the rest of the night watching TV and, oddly enough, making pancakes at one in the morning.**

"Awwwww!!" Exclaimed Clary and Isabelle causing Alec to glare at both of them.

**To this day, it was one of Alec's favorite dates.**

"Well I'll keep that in mind then." Magnus said facing the shadowhunter that was mentioned.

**None of this, of course, solved his partying problem. Magnus would still drag him to Pandemonium, and Alec could honestly admit that it was some-what nice to see Magnus in one of his more...Form fitting outfits and outrageously beautiful makeup** _**.** _ **It didn't stop Alec from feeling uncomfortable around people he didn't know, especially when people brushed up against him. Magnus had noticed it after a couple of times and had taken to standing by his side almost the whole time.**

"Wow I can't believe this." Ragnor said causing the crowd to turn towards him. "Magnus Bane not partying in a club, his own in fact, wow that shadowhunter went and tamed the untamed." Ragnor said causing Catatrina and Raphael to like the shadowhunter a little more. As for the the crowd, they couldn't believe that someone like Magnus Bane was able to stand next to somebody that long without doing something explicit at his own club.

**_"I don't want to force you into doing something you hate, Alexander." Magnus had said after portaling them back to his loft. Magnus took his time in the kitchen, gathering what Alec knew was tea for them both._ **

**_"I don't hate it." Alec replied, the lie easily sliding over his tongue. Being a liar about such a simple thing was easier than upsetting Magnus._ **

'Of course he thought that lying was easier than telling the truth, he's a shadowhunter after all.' All the dowworlders thought.

**_"You do, darling," Magnus said for him, placing a steaming mug on the kitchen counter for him, "And that's perfectly fine. Couples have survived much worse than having different interests."_ **

**_Alec looked away, feeling uncomfortable, "But this is something you like."_ **

**_Magnus smiled at him, bright and beautiful, "I do like it. And I appreciate that you've tried so hard to like it with me, but it doesn't give me the right to drag you to something that makes you uncomfortable."_ **

**_Alec, with nothing else to do, took the warm mug and cupped it between his hands, trying to calm his racing mind. It was a_ ** **club** **_. It was supposed to be fun. It was something normal people enjoyed. It was something Magnus enjoyed._ **

"Well aren't you full of surprises." Magnus said causing Alec to finally turn to him. "What's that supposed to mean?" Alec asked looking offended. "Nothing meant to offend you." Magnus said quickly seeing the offended look on Alec's face. "I just mean that you were willing to do something you felt uncomfortable with to make me feel happy." Magnus said causing Alec to blush lightly.

_**"Hey," Magnus said, softly. Alec was helpless. "I love you for** _ **you,** _**Alexander. I'll take a late dinner on the balcony with you over a party any day."** _

**_Alec smiled, unable to help himself. "Maybe in that outfit?"_ **

_**Magnus laughed loudly, nearly spilling his tea. He blushed spectacularly, something Alec was quite proud of, and practically threw himself at Alec in retribution, laughing again as Alec was forced to drop his own mug to cling onto his boyfriend.** _

"The Magnus Bane, blushing." Catarina said gasping dramatically with Ragnor and Raphael laughing besides her. "Oh shush Cat." Magnus said playfully looking back at the papers in his hand.

**After that, it was much easier to plan dates. Coffee shops (** **_"Don't you dare-""-Tell your siblings that you like salted caramel hot chocolate? Sorry, Alexander, I just can't promise such a thing."),_ ** **Homecooked meals (** **_"What in Raziel's name is kale?)_ ** **, and, what Magnus called, Netflix and Chill, were a frequent part of their dates.**

"Salted caramel hot chocolate, really?" Jace asked between laughing. "What it's good." Alec said defensively. "But hot chocolate, I mean I would understand coffee, but hot chocolate?" Jace asked face red from laughter. "Oh, come on Jace don't tease him. You know he doesn't like bitter things." Izzy said causing Simon and Clary to join Jace in laughter. "Alec, doesn't like bitter things. He's the King of all things bitter." Clary said gasping due to her laughter. "Shut up Fray." Alec said turning away from his siblings and friends.

**Months later, Magnus had lost his title of High Warlock of Brooklyn.**

"HOW!?" Magnus screamed face full of shock. The others in the theater was shocked as well, how could a warlock as powerful as Magnus lose the title of High Warlock. "Finally, someone had to knock him off his high horse." Lorenzo said causing Raphael to turn towards him with his fangs out. "Magnus actually cares about the people, not just his status. He became high warlock so that who could help people, anyone he needed help regardless of their species." Raphael said making Lorenzo shut up and to look back down at his paper.

**It took a lot for Magnus to admit to him. If Alec was the master of hiding his emotions, Magnus was the king. They had gone on their Thursday night date as always, soft kisses and wide smiles, but it took Alec and embarrassingly long time to realize how upset Magnus was. It was the slight stumble when deciding what to wear, the hesitation when he took a phone call from a client... The look in his eyes when Alec said that he loved him.**

**Alec spent the night after Magnus told him holding him in his arms, talking for the both of them when Magnus, for once, stayed quiet. It was in harsh whispers that Magnus admitted that the name of High Warlock wasn't just a title, it was an honor – an honor that he that he had managed to lose because of his own mistakes.**

**_"You did what you thought was right," Alec said, knowing he was treading on fragile ground, "Wrong or right, you, and everyone under your protection, are still here – and it wasn't your title that people respected, it was_ ** **you.** **_Your bravery, your kindness,_ ** **you,** **_Magnus. Just because someone else holds the title doesn't mean that people aren't still there for you."_ **

At this moment Ragnor, Catarina and Raphael decided that this shadowhunter is most definitely the right person for Magnus, but wouldn't say anything until they know more about him. After all he is a Lightwood and Lightwood's would do anything to stay on top.

_**Alec pulled Magnus into a hug without another thought, arms tight around his boyfriend's middle. "I love you, High Warlock or not."** _

**That had done it – Magnus had clung onto him the rest of the night like Alec was his salvation. The next day, Alec expected Magnus to continue to relax, but Magnus had returned to his busy self, calling clients once again and doing everything he could to get back into the swing of things. It was then, in the middle of a phone call, that he admitted that he was being forced to go to the new High Warlock's party.**

**Alec agreed to go with him without another thought**.

"Magnus what are you thinking bringing a shadowhunter, a Lightwood, to a warlock party." Ragnor said face full of disbelief. "I mean I'm all up for a little bit of disorder, but this could end up horribly." Magnus ignored Ragnor and went back to reading his paper. Ragnor noticed this and stopped talking.

**And then, as he made it back to the Institute, he realized that he, a Shadowhunter, was going to an inclusive Warlock party. Even if it was a formal event, Alec had to mentally prepare himself to be subjected to looks and questions.**

**_"You're the Head of the New York Institute, darling," Magnus had said as he opened the portal, "If you can handle the Clave, you can do anything."_ **

"Head of the New York Institute, I always knew you could do it buddy." Jace said with Izzy squealing besides him. "OMG, Clary Alec is now head of the institute." Clary nodded her head squealing besides Izzy. "Oh gosh it's contagious." Jace said to himself when he saw Simon on the verge of squealing, praying he won't end up with them.

**And Alec** _**could** _ **handle the Clave – the snide looks and the mission reports. Hell, he looked Valentine straight in the eyes and felt no fear. He could handle socializing at a party. It, of course, helped that he had Magnus next to him, holding his hand proudly as they went about the room.**

"Wait, when did Alec look Valentine in the eyes?" Jace asked getting worried for his parabatai. Alec feeling Jace's worry through the rune felt the need to comfort him. "Don't worry Jace seeing that this is based on the future it won't happen yet and it looks like Valentine didn't do anything." Alec said making Jace, Izzy, Max, Clary, Simon, Magnus and his parents relax.

**It was fine – Alec had been trained since birth on the proper etiquette to have at a formal party. Better yet, he had been trained on how to be the Head of an Institute, meaning navigating difficult and awkward conversations was something he was actually good at. He still let Magnus do most of the talking, considering that he knew some of this people for hundreds of years, and only spoke as much as he needed to.**

**There was one person that almost managed to surpass his years of training: Lorenzo Ray. He had managed to make himself Alec's least favorite person currently alive in the five minutes that he spoke to him. The idea of having such an egotistical, selfish man at his Downworlder Cabinet was already sending shivers down his spine. Magnus felt the same way, given the look that the two shared.**

Magnus busted out laughing once he heard Alec's thoughts about Lorenzo. "Wow the moment he met you, Alexander already knew that you were an ego maniac." Lorenzo sneered not wanting to put up with this foolishness. He decided to do the mature thing and flip Magnus the bird before looking back down at the paper in his hands.

**However, his mood was quickly improved when a certain young Warlock rushed into his arms with a giggle.**

**"Madzie!" Alec said, lifting her into her arms, "My favorite little sorceress!"**

**She giggled loudly, causing the other Warlocks to look at them both. Ignoring their stares, Alec brought her back to the ground and immediately played her favorite game, her smile wide. She was so much happier now that she was with Cat and was becoming quite the little manipulator.**

**It was in the most peaceful moment of the entire party that Alec had felt it.**

"Aww who would've thought the big scary shadowhunter likes kids." Simon said immediately shutting up when Alec glared his direction. Madzie on the other hand didn't know how to react, Nana always told her that shadowhunters were evil and that they hated downworlders, warlocks the most. Madzie hesitantly looked over to Alec seeing why he would like playing with her so much.

Alec felt something looking at him from his left and saw the little warlock girl staring at him. Alec was about to say something to her when something caught his eye. Alec looked at the girl and pointed to his neck, Madzie looked down and saw that her scarf was loose. In a blurry of fast movements Madzie fixed her scarf not wanting the shadowhunter to see her warlock mark. Alec seeing how scared the little warlock was decided to compliment her. "Cool gills." Alec said with a big smile. Madzie smiled back, he complimented her on her gills. No one has not even Nana. Madzie sat back in her seat smiling to herself. 

Magnus also smiled to himself sawing the whole exchange between Madzie and the shadowhunter. Seeing a shadowhunter compliment a warlock warmed his heart. Magnus could suddenly see why he started to love this shadowhunter. He was nothing like the rest, he was kind and loyal, not wanting to make the ones around him uncomfortable he would make himself uncomfortable to make them feel comfortable. Magnus looked down at his paper eager to read and hear more about this shadowhunter.

**A sudden...** _**Movement** _ **under his feet, far more powerful than anything he had every felt. He was used to the feel of magic now thanks to Magnus, but this felt** _**menacing.** _ **He went on high alert instantly, slowly rising to his feet and searching the room for any sort of threat – searching for Magnus.**

**By the time his eyes found him, it was too late.**

**Whatever that thing** _**was,** _ **it was blocking everyone's magic. Alec felt his skin crawl with how** _**wrong** _ **the cloud of yellow smoke and sparks felt. He could only watch in horror as one Warlock opened a portal and** _**disintegrated** _ **before his very eyes.**

**And then, it was coming for Madzie.**

**Without another thought, Alec wrapped the young girl in a tight hug, waiting for whatever it was to touch him, killing him just like it did to an innocent bystander. A thought, very brief, made its way through his mind as he closed his eyes.**

**He would never see Magnus again.**

"This is just ridiculous!" A girl from the institute screamed. "There is no way that Alec's last thoughts before he dies is that warlock! He must be spelled, he must be!" She screamed with her face flushed from anger. "And why would you say that?" Jace asked narrowing his eyes at the girl's behavior. "Because there is no way that someone like that abomination would be worth loving. Not before his family, his friends and most definitely not before his parabatai." Isabelle couldn't believe that audacity this girl had, to comment on someone else's life. "Excuse me if my brother was under a spell I doubt that he would throw himself in the way of something so dangerous to save Madzie. I mean if under a love spell he would be devoted to protect the person who put it on him, wouldn't he." Isabelle said directing the last of it towards the warlocks in the room.

"You are in fact correct young Lightwood." Ragnor said. "If your brother was under a love spell he would protect Magnus and only Magnus. Besides my friend would never stoop to as low as casting a spell for someone's affection." Ragnor said looking at the girl who stated this a look of distaste.

_"_ **_Alexander_ ** _!"_

**Agony – the only way to describe whatever pain he was feeling. His runes lit up, each one blazing on his skin as if it was the first time they had ever been drawn. He ended up on his knees, releasing Madzie just before he collapsed to his side, shaking involuntarily.**

**_Numb_ ** _._

**It was a feeling he was sadly very familiar with. The opposite of weightlessness – the feel of every limb attached to his body, heavy and too much to move. Yet, he was floating, unaware of nothing except the shock of pain going through his system.**

Magnus looked at Alec besides him wanting to see of he was ok. After all they were reading about his pain and his maybe death. Magnus expected to see shaking or at least a look of fear or denial, but instead he just saw Alec perfectly calm as if he didn't just read about himself getting injured. Magnus deciding not to start anything just put his head back down at his paper hoping that Alec will be ok.

**The moment he saw Alexander jump in front of Madzie, Magnus lost all his common sense.**

**Alexander was screaming, clawing at his glowing runes. He convulsed on the ground, hands going to his face and scratching at his eyes. Magnus** _**ran,** _ **knees smashing to the ground as he grabbed and Alexander's wrists, stopping him from hurting himself. In another second, Magnus's hands were on Alexander's face, trying to calm him.**

**"I'm here," He found himself saying, tears in his eyes, "Open your eyes. Please open your eyes."**

The shadowhunters were shocked. Magnus Bane, The High Warlock of Brooklyn, a lothario, a player was crying over one of there own, in public no less. Even if he truly cared about the eldest Lightwood it was disgraceful to be in a relationship with a downworlder, especially with someone that has a reputation like Magnus Bane's.

**Catarina was next to him, her magic steady in her hands, ready to heal whatever she could. Madzie, meanwhile, was standing away from them, quiet as ever, with her eyes wide.**

_**"When a Shadowhunter is coming at you, afraid,"** _ **Ragnor had preached, both to Magnus and to his students, "** _**no magic will be fast enough to stop him. Turn around and run."** _

**Magnus had argued with him when all of the students left, not bragging, but stating that he was pretty sure a pointy sword wasn't fast enough than anything he could do with magic. Ragnor had shrugged, unimpressed, and repeated his advice.**

**Of course, following guidance, especially went it was dealing with the ones he loved, wasn't something Magnus was known for.**

"For Edom's sake Magnus, disobedience will be the death of you." Ragnor said to himself with Raphael and Catarina agreeing silently.

**Alec's eyes snapped open. Ragnor's words, even in death, haunted Magnus. Magnus barely got a glimpse of Alexander's moving before he was being pushed roughly to the ground. He ended up painfully on his back with a grunt. He called on his magic unconsciously, only to freeze when Alexander's arm pressed harshly against his throat.**

**He couldn't breathe.**

"Oh my gosh." Simon whispered to himself. "He gonna kill him." Simon said resulting in Clary smacking him in the ribs. "Don't say that." Clary whispered harshly.

**Magnus stared at Alexander's face, taking the large white pupils, a sign of demon procession. Behind that, though, Magnus knew that he was scared.**

Maryse gasped at the mention of her son being possessed. She might disapprove of her son's relationship with the warlock, but she wouldn't want to see him harmed.

**"Alec!" Madzie cried.**

**Alec mumbled something that Magnus didn't catch.** _**He still couldn't breathe. He was going to die here by his lover's hands. Alec would never forgive himself.** _ **His magic once again rose up, threatening to destroy whatever was harming –** _**whoever** _ **was harming him.**

**Alec blinked, in confusion, but then, in horror...** _**"You're not real."** _

**His warrior threw himself off of Magnus with a shout, collapsing on his hands and knees with ragged breathes. Magnus was up in another second, coughing, but already forming his magic to be a soothing presence. With practiced ease, Magnus ran his hands over Alexander, wincing when he felt the demon try and lash out. Instead of hurting Alex more, Magnus sent a powerful wave of calm towards him, praying that it would be enough to help ease the pain.**

Alec's friends and family let out a breathe of relief when they heard and read that Alec wasn't hurt, but were still on edge due to the fact of him still being possessed.

**"** _**Shit.** _ **" Alec said, lowly. Magnus was surprised to hear him curse. Magnus, reeling, watched as Alexander moved to undue his cufflink, revealing a hidden stele he had. With practiced hands, Alec ran the stele over the deflect rune on his neck, glowing a harsh red.**

**"That won't last long." Alec said, deadpanned, as if a** _**rune** _ **holding back a demon powerful enough to possess a Shadowhunter was enough. Quickly, he got up from Magnus's lap and surveyed the room, eyes landing on Lorenzo Ray.**

**Alexander was always an imposing figuring, being six five and with a permanent, perfected scowl of indifference on his face, but it was nothing compared to seeing him with blank white eyes, glaring at the Warlock. If Lorenzo wasn't quaking, he was an idiot.**

Everyone in the room was quaking just from the description of Alec looking at Lorenzo. Everyone besides some decided to never get on Alec's bad side from that alone.

**Just before Alec could get a word in edgewise, the universe decided to mock him: Alexander's phone went off. The man took it in stride, getting it out of his pocket and once again cursing loudly, another out of character quirk.**

**"The ley lines." He said to Magnus, "I have to get back to the Institute. Now."**

**"Are you insane?" Catarina asked him, holding Madzie in her arms, "You got a demon inside you, Lightwood! What's your plan? Just waltz around-"**

**"Ley lines first," Alec interrupted, the 'I am in the Head of the New York Institute' voice in full effect, "Demon next."**

**Alec turned to look at him once again, this time gaze softening. Everything in Magnus screamed at him to go back to the loft, to start his work on a pentagram and a thousand other protection spells that Alec would need while this was happening. Every nerve in his body was screaming to protect him, but Alexander, fearsome in his bravery against one of his greatest fears, held him back.**

**Without a word, Magnus opened a portal to the Institute, trying to put his emotions aside just like Alexander was managing to do.**

**"Lorenzo," Alexander said, glaring at the man, "Don't go anywhere."**

**Alexander, just before heading into the portal, said** _**very loudly,** _ **"I** _**hate** _ **parties."**

'Damn, he badass.' Clary thought. "Well thank you Fray." Alec said amusement in his tone. Clary flushed now realizing that she said that out loud. "You know you are an idiot, a self-sacrificing idiot." Izzy said causing Catarina to perk up. "Well then they clearly deserve each other, Magnus is the same way. It's like he's trying to throw his life away." Catarina said causing Magnus to put a hand on his heart and gasp dramatically. "You think those two are bad, let me tell you Jace is 10 times worse than those two combined." Clary said making Jace look at her. "Don't look at me like that, you know what I'm talking about." Clary said. 

"While this is amusing I want to show you how Alec dealt with the ley lines." I said causing everyone to turn their attention to the screen. 

"Well this is most certainly different." The Seelie Queen said causing everyone to be silent not wanting to feel her wrath. "Unlike other shadowhunters you refused to kick the warlock out of their homes, you called them innocent. Any other head of the institute would, so why didn't you?" The Seelie Queen asks herself. "Seeing you as head will be very different and entertaining I can't wait to know more about you young Lightwood." Now everyone in the theater can't wait to see what things Alec will accomplish. Seeing this video and reading that story only made them want to know more about him. And they can't wait until they do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of the story is Reasons to Hate Parties and was written by CheerfullyCynical on AO3.


	5. Magnus's Tragic Story

"I'm sorry to say that we are not going to react to Alec today." I said causing the crowd to groan, some girls were on the verge of tears. "Why?" Madzie asked wanting to know more about the shadowhunter. "Well Madzie we can't have Alec have all of the spotlight after all I brought you guys here so that you could learn more about Magnus and Alec." I said ruffling Madzie's hair causing her to giggle.

"So what are we going to do?" Alec asked surprising me. He's been quiet for most of the time so hearing him talk spooked me. "What do you mean?" I asked the hazel eyed shadowhunter. "I mean how are we going to learn more about him, because for me we read and watched a couple of things which one are we going to first?" Alec asked a little hesitant. "Well I was going to let you guys read about Magnus, but my voice is a little strained from impersonating you." I said waving my hands nonchalantly as I was talking.

"OK if we are watching a video what will it be about?" Alec asked his curiosity getting the best of him. "Well first we are going to watch what other people's perspective of Magnus, then certain events that happens later on in the future." I said making Alec look satisfied.

"OK now we are going to watch Magnus's tragic back story most people don't know about." I said starting the video.

After that video no one knew what to say, everyone just thought that Magnus was a carefree warlock who just didn't give a shit about anything. They all just thought that he drank and had meaningless sex because he didn't want anything serious, because he was just playing with them, but really it's because he didn't want to lose them or have anything tragic to happen to them.

After a long moment of uncomfortable silence Alec got up, his face still cold and neutral as if they didn't just see such a horrible and tragic thing. To anyone else it would look like he didn't give a damn, but when Izzy and Jace saw his face they could tell that Alec was trying so hard not to pour waterfalls of tears down his face, they could see how he was he was trying to not to show his empathy for Magnus, not wanting the later to think it was pity.

Alec walked to Magnus and got in front of him in the same position he was in the video. Before Magnus could say anything Alec leaned forward and gave him a hug. In shock Magnus didn't know what to do, he sat there for a couple of moments and hesitantly hugged Alec back.

"It's ok Magnus, you don't need to hold it in anymore." Alec said in a hushed voice. And just like that Magnus started crying. Magus dug his face into Alec's shoulder not wanting anyone to see him in such a sensitive state. Alec started to rub Magnus's back letting him it's ok to let it out.

The crowd sat in shock as they watched the scene before them. No one could really wrap their head around it, never in a thousand years would they believe that they would see Magnus Bane crying. Not even Raphael, Catarina and Ragnor has seen Manus like this, of course they've seen him cry, but never have they ever seen him like this. This was something they have never seen before, and it was a shadowhunter that has done it. Maybe he wasn't bad for Magnus after all.


	6. Malec at the Orphanage

Alec was now back in his seat, but with Magnus's head in his lap. The warlock clearly needed the comfort so he didn't mind. Alec honestly felt bad for the warlock, he has lost so much in his life and had to remember it for as long as he lived. He wants to stay by the warlock's side and make sure that he won't have to go through anymore heart break.

"Sorry to break this touching moment, but I have to let you guys react to the thing I have planned next." I said causing everyone to look towards me. "We are going to be reading and it will be from Magnus's perspective so that you will be able lo learn more about him and don't worry it's nothing angsty or depressing, in fact it's so fucking cute." I said my voice going higher in pitch near the end of the sentence.

I snapped my fingers giving everyone in the room their own copy of the story. "I will now begin to read, "In Loco Parentis" by PNGuin.

**Magnus has never been a huge fan of children, as a general rule of thumb. There isn't really any particular reason why, as far as Magnus is able to understand. Perhaps it is because he fears children; fears how they always grow far too quickly, how swiftly their lives change, how they always succumb to Time for the sake of either** _**maturity** _ **or** _**death** _ **. Perhaps Magnus dislikes them for how they represent every right that has been denied to him; they remind him of his own horrific childhood, of how he can never father a child and create his own family, of how he's cursed to look eternally youthful but without the blessed ignorance of actually being young.**

"Oh Magnus." Catarina whispered softly.

**Or, perhaps, it is simply because Magnus does not interact with them much. The vast majority of his life has been dominated by an admittedly obscene amount of hedonism: drugs, sex, alcohol, more sex, gambling, and also lots of sex. And while Magnus may have been morally depraved for those years, even he had been reasonable enough to avoid children for the sake of sparing them from his own lifestyle. More recently, he has spent the last century or so of his life taking a fatherly role for various downworlders, but those have unanimously been surly teenagers or young adults – mere infants to a warlock, but not honest to Lilith** _**children** _ **.**

"I didn't know he took downworlders in." Jace said to Izzy. "That's because you don't spend the time to actually acknowledge anything." Izzy said back nonchantly.

**Clarissa Fairchild is the first child Magnus has actually watched grow up, and even that had been more of a series of distant observations. He had adopted the role of a weird magical uncle – a warlock godfather, if you would – for the young girl, and he had cared for her whenever she had fallen under his protection. But their interactions had been fleeting, as all mortal interactions are to an immortal, and Magnus had never really learned much from the experience.**

"Weird Magical Uncle?" Simon snorted. "What? He said he preferred warlock godfather." Clary said with a slightly flushed face.

**It isn't as if Magnus** _**hates** _ **children. He would never** _**dare** _ **be cruel – or even merely rude – to a child, and he has an ingrained instinct and strict moral code that is fiercely protective of them. He also has a tendency to coo over their cherubic faces and entertain their childish whims of fun magic tricks or sugary snacks. Magnus delights in their laughter and their jokes and their endless curiosity of the world; they always make him feel so invigorated and** _**young** _ **compared to the jaded years of his eternal life. But beyond the fondness and indulgence, Magnus doesn't exactly know** _**how** _ **to interact with children. He doesn't understand their games, or their thought processes, or (half the time) what they are even trying to say.**

"Believe me when I say I could never understand Max." Maryse said surprising everyone. "Maryse." Robert whispered. "It's nothing bad, it's just that I don't understand why he keeps setting stuff on fire." Maryse said sighing at the end. Alec looks towards Max with an eyebrow raised. "It's fun to do." Max said defensively casusing some people in the theater to laugh while others roll their eyes at the child's behavior.

**As such, Magnus has spent the entirety of his considerable life at a respectable distance from children. He will smile at them and pat their heads, he will perform silly little spells to amuse them, and he will do everything in his power to protect them. But he often avoids interacting with them, for all intents and purposes.**

**But this is a bit of a special circumstance; one that warrants Magnus dropping his wary distance of children.**

**An old acquaintance of his, Edith Vermillion, has called upon him for help. Not as the High Warlock, but simply as a friend – which is always a bit of a warning sign, as far as Magnus' experience goes. He had met Edith back in the early 1930s, when Magnus had still been recently promoted to the position of High Warlock. Edith had been attempting to open one of the first warlock orphanages, and Magnus had supplied the funding necessary to set it up. And had also maybe bribed and manipulated some mundane and Shadow World law enforcers. And had covered up some less than legal situations. But that had been nearly a century ago – clearly, well beyond any statutes of limitation – and it isn't as if anyone has ever called him out on it, so what does it really matter?**

"Wait if Edith lives in New York isn't she supposed to be here." Clary asked. "She's here she's just refusing to say anything or let the children of her orphanage do anything." I said answering Clary's question.

**Magnus has probably dished out a good couple million dollars on the establishment as a whole, and he continuously revamps the wards around the old brownstone. Edith always offers to try and pay back what she refers to as** _**loans** _ **, but the only payment Magnus ever accepts is homemade meals and playtime with the kids. There are never very many children at the orphanage at one time – warlocks are notoriously slow when it comes to population growth – but it is rewarding to know that those children don't have to face the abuse and trauma that Magnus (and countless other warlocks) had suffered through.**

**But now there is a bit of a dilemma. The entire purpose of Magnus' efforts to ward and fund the orphanage is to keep people away.** _**Especially shadowhunters** _ **. And yet here Magnus is, walking down the street towards the concealed orphanage with one such shadowhunter.**

**Edith is going to** _**kill** _ **him.**

"Yes, I will." Edith said from the back of the room voice dripping in anger almost ripping the paper in her hands.

**In Magnus' defense, it isn't as if he had** _**planned** _ **on dragging Alec along with him on his errands. They had been getting lunch together at some local Mediterranean deli when Magnus' phone had suddenly erupted with people demanding all sorts of help. Dagmar had needed a case of fresh acromantula venom – which of course is only readily stocked in** _**one specific shop** _ **in Campos do Jordão, Brazil – and Mikhail had needed instructions on how to brew a high-level memory potion –** _**without** _ **blowing up his apartment this time – and then Edith had called citing that the wards had been flagging long before they were scheduled for an update. And, damn it all, between the hunt for Valentine and the drama consistently plaguing their lives, Magnus has hardly spent any time with his darling, gorgeous boyfriend. It's a tragedy of the worst sort.**

"You hear that Alec, Magnus misses spending time with his darling." Jace teased causing Alec to go red in the face. "Oh stop Jace." Izzy said making Alec smile. Maybe Izzy can knock some sense into him. "I think you meant to say Magnus's gorgeous boyfriend." Izzy said swooning a little making the others around her laugh." But alas Izzy sometimes could be like Jace.

"Don't be embarrassed darling, I would certainly miss my gorgeous if we hardly spent any time together." Magnus said looking up at Alec from his lap causing the latter to blush even more.

**And Alec had looked so painfully** _**hopeful** _ **and** _**excited** _ **at the simple prospect of running boring ass errands with Magnus that the warlock hadn't had the heart to tell him no. He had been as eager as a particularly loyal golden retriever, and it had been endearing enough that Magnus had caved immediately. Alec had managed to charm the ever-stoic Arsenio by politely inquiring about all the ingredients in the old warlock's hut in Brazil, and had helped put out** _**yet another fire** _ **in Mikhail's apartment, and Magnus sincerely believes that bringing Alec to the orphanage will end in a similarly positive way.**

"You are quite the helper aren't you." Simon said as if talking to a little kid. "Shut up mundane." Alec said happy that Simon stopped talking.

**Standing before the unassuming brownstone, however, Alec seems far less confident than Magnus. He rubs at his neck, ducking his head slightly and hunching in on himself. It's a habit of Alec's that Magnus had quickly picked up on, back before they had even started a relationship, back when Alec had still been scared and alone and closeted. Magnus has always found it an odd mixture of endearing and heartbreaking how easily the towering shadowhunter can make himself seem so** _**small** _ **, that contrast between a warrior's body and a pacifist's heart.**

"Awwwwww." Some of the girls in the theater whispered. "I'm sorry but I just can't believe that a shadowhunter, a Lightwood would be a pacifist. I mean with all the interactions I had with shadowhunters, Lightwoods were the worst. They were vile and cold-blooded monsters, I mean I'm undead and I'm not even that bad." Camille said with a snarky tone picking at her nails.

"You're right Camille." Raphael said shocking most people. They thought that he was friends with Magnus. "You're aren't as bad as the Lightwoods, you're worst." Raphael said before flipping the she-demon off.

**"Magnus, what if- is this- are you sure this is okay?" Alec starts, hesitating and stumbling over his words.**

**Magnus has noticed – with a profound feeling of pride – the stuttering improve over the two months they have been (** _**officially** _ **) dating. Gradually, and with setbacks whenever they're in crowded public areas or in the Institute or in other situations Alec struggles with, but Magnus has watched the young man steadily grow comfortable in his own skin; has watched the tension in his shoulders drip away, has watched the laughter lines become more pronounced, has watched the confidence in his casual touches steadily improve.**

**It hurts Magnus' heart to now see him hesitating, even if it is for an admittedly fragile situation. He wants to rest a hand on Alec's arm, but thinks better of it when he spots the tension in Alec's posture, and covers up the near miss by idly waving his hands in the air. "Alexander, I appreciate your concern but I assure you that everything is fine. We won't stay too long, and you don't have to be around the kids if it makes you uncomfortable."**

"Poor big brother, you never did do good in crowded places." Izzy said shaking her head slightly. "Alec never came across as shy to me." Clary said. "That's because you don't really know Alec yet, once you get to know him he's a big ol' softie." Jace says with a grin.

**"What?" Alec blurts out, turning to face Magnus with a frown marring his gorgeous features. Magnus feels a soul-deep yearning to pull him closer and kiss the look right off, but he holds himself back for fear of making an already anxious Alec even** _**more** _ **anxious. "Magnus, that's not-** _**I'm** _ **not uncomfortable around the kids. But I just- I don't want to, I don't know, worry or scare your friend or any of the kids. I know that I'm not – since I'm a shadowhunter, I'm not-" his voice is climbing higher, his words stumbling together more and more the longer Alec lets his concern climb.**

"Awww, you're worrried the kids aren't going to like you." Magnus said while cooing at Alec's red face. "I just don't want them to feel uncomfortable." Alec said with his face away from Magnus's sight, not wanting him to see his flushed face.

**"Hey, hey," Magnus murmurs. "You don't have to worry about that. I trust you, Alexander. And Edith trusts my judgment."**

"I trust your judgement on Magic, not on people Magnus." Edith said with her eyes wandering over to where Camille is once again picking at her nails.

**He wants, more than anything, to wrap his arms around his boyfriend and hug the poor man for several hours. Part of that 'cuddle therapy' Magnus had wanted to prescribe to Alec as soon as the warlock had found out just how touch-starved Alec is. He allows himself the meager compromise of resting his hands lightly on Alec's shoulders; but it's Alec who inches closer and invades Magnus' personal space, settling his hands carefully at Magnus' elbows and tugging ever so gently. Magnus goes, of course, until he can feel the pressure of Alec's chest against his own with every breath and the heat of Alec's body even through the layers of their winter clothing.**

"Cuddle therapy?" Ragnor asks with an eyebrow raised at Magnus. "What?" Magnus asked defensively, "It's a real thing." Magnus said hugging Alec so that his face is against the shadowhunter's stomach.

**Alec's touch is still so hesitant that Magnus cherishes every single time Alec reaches out for him. Magnus' eyes slip closed of their own accord and he takes in a deep breath that smells of bowstring wax, wood polish, leather, and the faded whiff of demon ichor. It should be a disconcerting reminder of the warrior, of the** _**shadowhunter** _ **, that Alec is; instead, it makes Magnus feel safe and at home.**

**Alec still doesn't seem convinced, his eyebrows furrowed and deep lines of worry creasing his forehead. Magnus risks raising his hand to cup Alec's cheek, stroking a gloved thumb over the worried wrinkles to try and soothe them, and is blessedly rewarded when Alec lets himself lean into the touch. Magnus' heart is so full that he fears it will actually burst in his chest, and he tries valiantly to beat back the encroaching emotions by reminding himself that he and Alec have been dating for a mere** _**two months** _ **. There is absolutely no way that Magnus can allow himself to fall so embarrassingly head-over-heels in love in such a short time.**

"You are so whipped my friend." Ragnor says causing Magnus to pout.

**Magnus could stay here, on the stoop of an old historic brownstone in the middle of December, just gazing into Alec's beautiful hazel eyes for centuries. In fact, he's so absorbed in everything** _**Alexander** _ **that he doesn't even notice the orphanage's front door opening. A sharp clearing of someone's throat abruptly cuts into their private little bubble of existence, effectively popping the blissful atmosphere around them.**

**Alec jerks back as if he's been electrocuted, skittering nearly a full foot away in his frantic haste to re-establish a** _**respectful** _ **distance between them. The shadowhunter pulls back his arms until he is no longer even slightly touching Magnus, and he folds his hands behind his back as he is so wont to do; his head ducks down, an alluring blush on his cheeks – either from embarrassment or the cold, Magnus doesn't know. The combination of his messy, almost-curly hair and his bashful expression makes him look like a chastised boy, regardless of how tall and broad he may be.**

Some people in the crowd starts to laugh at the mental image of Alec getting chastised like a school boy. "It's not funny." Alec mumbled. "Yes, it is darling." Magnus said wiping the tears of laughter away from his eyes.

**Magnus has no such qualms to being caught red-handed. He merely huffs an aggrieved sigh at the loss of his boyfriend's nearness and turns an affronted glare in the door's direction. There, standing with crossed arms and a withering grimace, is Edith Vermillion. She is a relatively young warlock, having only just passed her first century, but one wouldn't be able to tell thanks to her grandmotherly charm. That's the thing with warlocks. They are all immortal, but it is often a toss-up when it comes to** _**how old** _ **they will look for eternity. Some stay baby-faced, others settle around middle age, others still appear to be just as old and jaded as their souls really are. (Magnus himself has always been quite lucky for appearing to be in his mid-30s. Old enough to get away with all the things he wants to do, young enough to still look hot doing those things.)**

"I thought that you looked around mid 20s." Alec said looking down at Magnus. "Well thank you for the compliment Alexander, but we both know that I am way older than I appear to be." Magnus said tapping the shadowhunter's nose causing him to blush.

**"Magnus," Edith calls, voice sharp and quite obviously enraged. "You brought a** _**shadowhunter** _ **here?" Her dark eyes settle heavily on Alec, and the young man shrinks back further under her fury.**

**To see such vehement hatred directed toward** _**Alec** _ **, who has done no wrong, does nothing less than incense Magnus' own anger. Magnus knows – far better than many others ever possibly could – just how horrific and terrible shadowhunters are capable of being. But Alexander is** _**nothing** _ **like those shadowhunters. To place the blame of past generations upon Alec's shoulders is far too akin to how the Clave persecutes warlocks for their demonic parentage, and it makes Magnus' blood boil.**

"He's a Lightwood, Magnus. They are known for getting what they want through any means necessary, that includes seducing." Edith said eyeing the Lightwoods. The family refuses to respond knowing that some shadowhunters are like that, but not them. They wouldn't result into going that low to get what they want. They try to earn their place, not steal it away from other or bribe their way onto it.

**He glances at Alec, now roughly a foot to his side, hunkered down in on himself, and sees the shadowhunter somberly raise his eyes and open his mouth. Magnus knows, without a doubt, that he's about to apologize and offer to leave. Dread settles heavy in Magnus' stomach and fire burns through his veins. He doesn't really want to analyze the significance of the feeling, so he reacts before Alec can.**

**Magnus loops his arm through Alec's and inches close enough that their sides are pressed together. "I brought my** _**boyfriend** _ **, Edith," he responds curtly. "And if you have a problem with that then we will leave." One of the benefits of being the High Warlock. It's easy to hold his power over people when necessary.**

"Magnus!" Catarina shouted. "What you know it's true." Magnus said with an innocent expression on his face.

**Edith pinches her lips into a sour expression that contradicts the typically genial disposition of the warlock. But she huffs out a breath and turns to let them into the building. Alec's shoulders tense further, and yet he doesn't pull away from Magnus as they step through the threshold. It's a minor thing, but it makes a spark of warmth nestle in Magnus' heart.**

"Awww." Izzy and Clary said.

**The building, although old even when Edith had first acquired it, has been remarkably well-preserved. One of the many perks of magic. The foyer is narrow but tall, decked out with a beautiful chandelier and the original ostentatious flooring and walls. But that is where all pretentious decoration ends. Unlike most warlocks, Edith has no desire for displaying her wealth and treasures. Or, perhaps she is, and it's simply the wall of picture frames detailing every warlock child that has passed through the orphanage that are her treasures.**

"That's actually really cute." Alec said shocking everyone. When Alec felt everyone's eye on him he responded with, "It's heart-warming that she keeps all of the pictures of all the warlock children that has been in the orphanage, it shows that she really does care and will never forget them." Most people were shocked by the response, but glad that Alec cares about the children. Well besides Edith, she still has her doubts about that shadowhunter.

**They stop in the foyer long enough to remove their various coats and winter gear, and Magnus notices Alec taking a fortifying breath. It's an action that Magnus is familiar with, and one that thrills him to the tips of his toes every time he sees it. That little heave of breath always heralds one of the moments in which Alec makes up his mind on something and puts forth the effort to make his decisions into reality. It had happened at the wedding-that-wasn't, when they had decided to pursue a relationship, and now when Alec is confronting Edith.**

"Excuse me, the what?" Jace asked with a face full of disbelief. "Did my brother almost get married?" Izzy asked no one in general. "You will read and watch what happened after this." I said before going back to read the story.

**"My name is Alec Lightwood," he introduces himself, politely holding out a hand.**

**Edith turns her sharp eyes on the shadowhunter and sniffs haughtily. "Yes, I know," she responds, short and snippy, and withholding her hand in a way that makes Magnus feel slighted** _**for** _ **Alexander. It reminds Magnus far too uncomfortably of how shadowhunters used to refuse such basic pleasantries to himself, of how they used to throw out the plates after downworlders had eaten from them, of the sidelong glances and mocking taunts nonchalantly tossed his way. Magnus very nearly lets his frustration boil over at that point.**

"Did they really do that?" Izzy asks. "Yes they did sweetheart, but we don't do that anymore. It was seen as rude and that we were ungrateful for their services." Robert said looking at Isabelle.

**Luckily, Alec is far more composed in the face of such heavy-handed suspicion. The towering man slowly retracts his hand and takes another deep breath, and Magnus resolves himself to step back and let Alec handle the situation. As much as Magnus feels the need to defend his boyfriend, he can understand the significance of Alec and Edith's tense interaction, and there is that always growing sense of pride blooming in Magnus' chest when Alec chooses to politely defer rather than become offended.**

"Right, of course you do," Alec nods, with a hint of self-deprecation. It's all too common for members of the Shadow World to know all about _Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood_. Hell, even the High Warlock of Lhasa sent Magnus a fire message once she heard gossip about the infamous wedding-that-wasn't. "I just wanted to say that I really respect what you've done by helping these children. I'm glad that they have a safe home here."

**That is one of the gloriously refreshing things about Alexander. He is quite literally shit at lying; just the thought of lying makes his stuttering increase tenfold. So when Alec speaks candidly it is almost guaranteed that every word is utterly honest. It's something that makes Magnus' heart ache, but it seems to have little effect on the hard-assed Edith.**

"It's true my brother can not lie." Max says causing Alec to pout. "I said I was sorry." He whined shocking the people in the theater. "I don't I can ever forgive you killing Mr. Biggles." Max said crossing his arms across his chest. "It was a demon Max." Alec said causing his little brother to deflate a little. "Fine, I guess I can forgive you." Alec looked down to see Magnus stating right back at him. "What is it?" He asked the warlock. "How exactly did your brother get a demon?" The warlock asked. "He thought it was a spider." Alec said causing Magnus to giggle. Wow, that was a sound that made Alec's stomach do flips.

**Her glare eases minimally, just the slightest difference that Magnus only notices because he's searching for it, and the warlock inclines her head to show that she heard and understood the comment. But she makes no move to grant any other response to it and ultimately turns to face Magnus, completely ignoring the shadowhunter beside him.**

**"I need you to strengthen the wards," Edith asks, straight into business.**

**It's always that way with people. Even those that Magnus considers friends. Always** _**demanding** _ **something. It's dreadfully jading to his sensibilities. Magnus is already in a shit mood from weeks of nonstop work and little sleep, and it has only gotten worse due to his precious few hours with Alec being interrupted with running silly little errands for others. His skin crawls, his magic itching for a chance to let loose, but he bites back the sensation and holds his breath until the tumultuous waves of his power calm into a simmer.**

"We really need to get him out more." Catarina said to Ragnor and Raphael who nodded their heads, knowing how Magnus gets when he is grumpy.

**"I just retouched the wards six months ago," Magnus comments, letting his voice wilt into an unaffected air with hopes that it will make his frustration dissipate. "They shouldn't need to be strengthened for another year, at least."**

**"Well, clearly** _**something** _ **has affected their viability," Edith retorts with a bite to her tone. "With things going as they have been, it would be best to have the wards in top condition, lest any** _**unwanted intruders** _ **get past," she mutters, casting a far too obvious side-eye in Alec's direction.**

**"Of course, Edith," Magnus nods along. He has to work his jaw open so that he doesn't grind his teeth into useless nubs. It's a struggle just to keep the tight smile fixed upon his features. "Shall we?" he gestures towards the hallway, already knowing exactly where to go in order to repair the wards.**

**Edith doesn't move. "The shadowhunter stays here," she declares coldly, glaring outright at an increasingly nervous Alec. "It wouldn't do to have one of them know where the nodes are."**

**Magnus is** _**furious** _ **. Not only is it erroneous to assume that Alec has the faintest notion of magical theory – let alone something as advanced as ward nodes, where layers of magic interact – but it's an absolute insult to both of them to insinuate that Alec would ever** _**do** _ **something with that knowledge. Especially something that would harm innocent children.**

"I'm pretty sure that Alec would hate himself forever if he did that." Izzy said before turning to Jace. "Remember when Alec found that puppy when he was 11?" She asked causing Jace to laugh. "I certainly remember when we sent it to the shelter, he was crying for weeks." He said causing Alec to blush. It wasn't his fault that the puppy was cute. "What happened with the puppy?" Clary asked. "Alec found an injured puppy and Mom said that we could keep the puppy until he gets better. We had him for more than a month, so of course Alec got attached. Gave him a name too." Izzy said struggling to keep her laughter in. "What was his name?" Simon asked this time. "Snuggles." Izzy said before her, Jace, Max and other around the theater bursted into laughter causing Alec's face to flush once again in embarrassment. "Well I think that was a cute name darling~" Magnus said making Alec to hide his face into his hands.

**Quite frankly, if Edith were not a dear friend of Magnus', and were she not also the loving patron of a handful of unfortunate warlock children, Magnus would** _**snap** _ **. He would spit out some insult in her direction and refuse her demand for help, given her foul attitude and nasty tone. As it is, Magnus forcibly reigns his temper in, biting down on his tongue until he tastes the iron tang of blood. He stands seething in anger, but plasters an amicable smile across his face nevertheless. His cheeks feel like they're cracking from the strain.**

"We might have to work on that temper of yours." Alec whispered to Magnus, who giggled nervously.

**Magnus has spent centuries hiding his emotions behind a mask. It's a skill he had first learned from his mother – long, long ago in a time that he hardly even remembers – and it's a skill that had been brutally reinforced by his step-father, and his biological father, and the slew of people who had waltzed into his life, trampled on his heart, and promptly left him. Even those closest to him – Catarina and Raphael – occasionally struggle to see past the carefully constructed walls that Magnus has painstakingly built.**

**Alec, of course, exists entirely beyond such trivial difficulties. He sees past Magnus' walls as if he has x-ray vision, or as if there are no walls even there to begin with. He inches closer to Magnus, delicately resting a feather-light touch to the small of his back. Enough pressure that Magnus is reminded of his presence, but gentle enough that it does not threaten to further tighten the tension in his shoulders.**

**"Magnus," Alec calls. It's Magnus' own siren song, and he's helpless to resist. The warlock abandons his deepening glare in Edith's direction, and instead focuses all his attention on his darling Alexander. "It's fine," the shadowhunter assures him, "I'll just stay here. It's not a big deal."**

**It is. Perhaps not to Alec, but it is to Magnus. And yet, that imploring look deep within Alec's beautiful hazel eyes lets some of the irritation seep out of Magnus' bones. Magnus finds himself nodding, giving in to Alec's request with hardly even a second thought. He grudgingly turns back to Edith, allows himself to cast an unhappy frown in her direction, and then indicates for her to follow him to the first node.**

"You really are whipped amigo." Raphael said causing Cat and Ragnor to laugh and Magnus to pout.

**Magnus forces himself to look back only once, checking on Alec even as the nephilim settles on some uncomfortable bench, before ultimately turning down a hallway and losing sight of his boyfriend. Edith's silent presence at his side prickles against Magnus' frayed nerves; as much as he cares for the children, all he wants is to return to his loft and cuddle with his wonderful boyfriend on his couch.**

"Awww, you guys cuddle." Izzy said making Clary giggle.

**He focuses entirely on the familiar layers of magic that encapsulate the building like an intricate network of blankets. Magic isn't typically something that can be** _**seen** _ **, per se. Some warlocks claim to have an affinity for seeing the interweaving of magic in ley lines, but Magnus usually finds those people to be of the exceptionally erratic persuasion. As far as Magnus understands it (which, he will dare to claim, is a considerable amount), magic is something that is** _**felt** _ **. He can sense the tingling of it at the base of his spine, spreading throughout all his veins like his blood, and he can follow the pull of the sensation along the networks of the wards until he reaches the closest intersection.**

**The node is still intact, still holding the strands of magic in place so that it settles correctly around the lay of the building. And yet it's not nearly as sturdy as Magnus had ensured several months ago. There is an almost fraying about the edges, a disintegrating junction between multiple layers, the incessant wearing down of an otherwise intricately woven quilt.**

**Magnus is no amateur when it comes to magic. Even if he's not the oldest warlock – or, even, considered truly** _**old** _ **for an immortal – his magical knowledge and capabilities are renowned. And for good reason. Magnus is** _**damn good** _ **at his job. He knows wards, and he knows without a shadow of a doubt that some inside force has damaged the integrity of his work.**

"You are a narcissist Bane." Lorenzo Ray said with narrowed eyes. "Takes one to know one Ray." Magnus said sticking out his tongue at the snotty warlock which caused Alec to laugh. I mean can you blame him a warlock that's over 700 years old just stuck his tongue out the way a kid would when they would get insulted.

**Edith has so far been rather silent in their steady journey around the building. Magnus has felt her disapproving glare on his back the entire way, as if she's trying to cow him by channeling her inner disgruntled grandmother. The effect is rather lessened by the fact that Magnus is several times her age, and also by the fact that Magnus simply doesn't** _**care** _ **what Edith has to say about his lifestyle.**

**"Someone has managed to locate the ward nodes and has been wearing them down," Magnus concludes, focused more on painstakingly picking apart the frayed ends and knitting them back together.**

**"Who has been targeting the orphanage?" Edith responds, voice fierce like that of a mother bear.**

**Magnus shakes his head. "It's from the inside," he mentions. "And considering the only people that live here are you and the kids, and given the amateur technique used, I believe one of the children picked up on the juncture point and decided to test out their magic. An inconvenience, but ultimately harmless."**

**He finishes up, and makes to turn back in the direction of where Alec is patiently waiting for him, when Edith claps a hand to his shoulder and stops his movement. Her eyes meet his, and there's a coldness there that unsettles him and makes his skin prickle.**

**"What the hell are you thinking, Magnus?" she hisses out, voice quiet and irritated. "Of all the ill-advised flings you've gotten yourself into, a** _**shadowhunter** _ **– a** _**Lightwood,** _ **nonetheless – is most definitely the** _**worst** _ **!"**

Alec flinched hearing those words causing Magnus to look up at his shadowhunter. "What is wrong Alexander?" The warlock asked. "Nothing I'm just thinking that maybe I'm not the best choice for you after all." Alec said with a frown. "I'm a shadowhunter Magnus, and the 'worst of them' a Lightwood." Magnus couldn't believe what he was hearing, his darling Alexander was having doubts about their relationship, one they didn't technically start yet. Not really knowing what to do Magnus moved up off of Alec's lap and cupped his face. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I don't doubt that for a second." Magnus said before hugging Alec making the shadowhunter to relax in his embrace.

**Magnus whirls on the spot and looms over Edith, getting in her face and all but** _**growling.** _ **He's livid, his blood boils with the heat of Edom and he wants to scream in her face, but he swallows the fury and ensures that his voice is no louder than a hoarse – but no less violent – whisper-shout. "How** _**dare** _ **you insult Alec without even** _**knowing** _ **him? You know** _**nothing** _ **of my personal life, nor do you know a single damn thing about Alec's! Why can't you trust my judgment on this?"**

**"Trust your judgment?" Edith scoffs, and the sound grates right over Magnus' horrifically frayed nerves. "You hardly have a good track record, Magnus. You always get blinded by your emotions. What about** _**Camille** _ **?"**

_**"Don't."** _ **Magnus' voice is utterly frozen, a single shard of ice that pierces the quiet around them. "Don't you** _**ever** _ **compare Alec to that** _**bitch** _ **." He's vibrating with rage, and agony, and frustration, because why can't anyone just accept him and Alec? Why can't they just be left to their own devices, free from the cruel judgment of the outside world? Why does everyone think that they have a right to an opinion on their relationship? Magnus is just** _**exhausted** _ **.**

Everyone was shocked by his outburst, especially Camille. Never did she ever believe that Magnus would have the guts to talk trash about her. "It seems that you have truly gotten over her my friend." Ragnor said causing Magnus to smile at his sweet cabbage.

**He wonders, idly and a bit desperately, if this is how Alec felt at the wedding-that-wasn't, if it's how Alec feels every day he steps into the Institute and faces silent ridicule. Alec has remained strong in the face of such prejudice. Magnus can as well, at least for Alec's sake.**

**"Anyway, I've finished the job," he continues coolly, not giving any sanction to his acquaintance. "Alec and I will be on our way."**

**Edith seems thoroughly contrite as Magnus leads them back towards the foyer of the building. However, both of them perk up once they reach the front door and find the bench conspicuously empty. For a terrifying split-second, Magnus' first thought is that Alec has been hurt or taken in some manner, before his rationality catches up with his rabbiting heart and knocks some sense back into him.**

**His companion, on the other hand, is filled with a renewed sense of righteous fury. She whirls on Magnus, face contorted in her anger. "** _**Where is he?"** _ **she growls. "He was supposed to stay** _**right here** _ **!"**

"I knew it!" Edith shouted causing the crowd to jump. "I knew that he couldn't be trusted! The shadowhunter is probably finding out ways to break into the orphanage! After all they all think that we are trash!" Edith than stood up making the children beside her flinch back. Catarina then stood up and walked to Edith hoping that she could calm down the female warlock. "Calm down Edith, we read Alec's thoughts, his true thoughts. He would never hurt a warlock or any downworlder for that matter." Cat said placing a hand on the other warlock in hopes of calming her down. 

Edith shrugged off the hand on her shoulder. "NO!!" She screamed causing Cat to jump back a bit. "We don't know what he will do with the other downworlders. Just because he cares about warlock doesn't mean that he will care about the rest of us." She said with her voice breaking at the end. Edith had tears in her eyes as she said,"They're all the same Cat. Sooner or later you will see that." Edith then brought her head down. "We had to run away from Shadowhunters for centuries and even know with his so called 'peace' we have, we are still running and hiding from them. It's never going to change." Edith finished with tears flowing freely down her face. Catarina carefully pushed Edith back into her seat and sat next to her to comfort the warlock. What Edith said was true, Shadowhunters were like that and some still are, but Cat knows that Alec could never be like one of them. She knows that the man that Magnus has fallen for would never do anything to betray him and hopefully others will see that as well. But until then we are just going to see where this will take us.

**Magnus doesn't even try to stop himself from rolling his eyes hard enough that it almost hurts. "Perhaps he had to use the restroom, Edith," he defends with a nonchalant shrug.**

**Before Edith can retaliate like she so clearly wants to, the distinct sound of children screaming filters in from the back door. They both immediately turn in that direction, bodies and magic tensed in preparation for a fight, until the noise shifts just enough that they can recognize it as the sounds of children screaming in** _**delight** _ **, as they are so often wont to do. Magnus heaves a great big sigh of relief, letting the fear eke out of his body. Beside him, Edith relaxes only marginally, far more intent on marching towards the open back door and towards the clamor of unruly kids.**

**Another benefit of magic is that the backyard of the building is both larger and far warmer than it otherwise would be in a New York winter. It's a charming little courtyard that is a comfortable ambient temperature all year round, and that has enough paved area to provide the kids with room for four square and jump rope. As Magnus and Edith draw closer to the door, the rhythmic tapping of a jump rope and the joyous singing of kids filters through. Magnus doesn't recognize the song, but he knows a jump rope rhyme when he hears one.**

_**Down in the valley where the green grass grows** _   
_**There sat Alec as pretty as a rose** _   
_**He sang so high, he sang so sweet** _   
_**Along came Magnus and kissed him on the cheek** _   
_**How many kisses did he get?** _

After everyone calmed down from the commotion Edith started they all laughed, Izzy, Jace, Clary and Simon being the loudest. Alec's face was flushed red, he has never felt so embarrassed before. The shadowhunter then put his face in his hands with a groan. "Awww don't feel embarrassed darling~" Magnus said trying to keep in his giggle and failing miserably at so. "This is so embarrassing." Alec whined. "Well I think that it's pretty cute." The warlock said tapping the shadowhunters nose.

**And, much to Magnus' utter astonishment, it's to the commotion of children counting that he steps outside and sees the most profoundly unexpected sight he has ever witnessed. There's Alec. Jumping rope. With a handful of warlock kids. Not just** _**any** _ **jumping rope. Oh no, Alexander Gideon Lightwood is double-dutching with warlock children while they merrily sing about** _**how many kisses Magnus is going to give him.** _

**A lot. That's the answer.**

"Wait, you can double dutch?" The quiet warlock girl next to Magnus asked. Alec believes her name is Madzie. "Yes, my siblings do too, but between me and you I'm the best out of all of them." He said causing her to giggle. "You're funny." She said to the tall man. "Well I'm glad you think so princess." Madzie giggled at the nickname he gave her. She liked the shadowhunter and hopes that he likes her too.

**Magnus' heart swells until he feels fit to bursting. His chest** _**aches** _ **enough that he brings a hand up to rest on his heart; he can feel it thudding against his ribs, can hear the blood pounding in his ears. The world melts away until all Magnus can see is** _**Alec** _ **, smiling widely as he skips along to the song. There's a little girl in his arms, a toddler with long braids that smack him in the face with every hop, and clinging to his back is a boy only slightly older. Neither child is old enough to successfully jump rope, and they would have instead been left out of the older children's games. But they aren't. They're nestled there, safely in Alec's arms. He handles them with such gentleness, such tenderness, such** _**absolute compassion** _ **that Magnus feels tears spring to his eyes.**

"Oh my god Alec, you totally got him whipped!" Izzy squealed.

**Of course, Alec chooses that very second to glance up and notice the two adult warlocks standing just beyond the threshold of the door, watching him with equally gob-smacked expressions. He immediately stumbles to an abrupt halt, exceedingly careful to keep the two children safely in his grasp, and effortlessly throwing up an arm to stop the jump ropes before they can hit the two toddlers under his care. The shadowhunter's face deepens into a furious shade of red, one that rapidly spreads from his ear tips down past the collar of his shirt and enflames his entire being. Alec ducks his head sheepishly, looking for all the world like he's seconds away from death via embarrassment, but one look at the madly giggling kids around him has the tension seeping out of his bones. His composure cracks, until he's laughing alongside the gaggle of eager warlock children clustered around him like moths drawn to a brilliant flame.**

**Magnus can't help but remember the countless innocent warlock children he has seen persecuted and hunted down by shadowhunters in his lifetime. He can't help but recall the screaming of children, the wailing of mothers, the cruelty of the nephilim. There's none of that present in the orphanage's courtyard. It's a sanctuary to such horrors of the world, a refuge where innocent warlock children can play jump rope with a shadowhunter – a** _**Lightwood** _ **– of all things.**

**Magnus looks at Alec and, for the very first time in his life, he sees what the angels' grace must truly be. Alec is everything that the nephilim should be, everything that they have the potential to be. He is beauty, and joy, and compassion; he is integrity, and justice, and loyalty; he is humility, and earnestness, and honesty; he is** _**love** _ **.**

Alec blushes at the praises Magnus gives him which causes the warlock to giggle.

**_Magnus Bane loves Alexander Gideon Lightwood._ **

**He loves him.**

**What a beautiful thing that is.**

"Oh my God." Raphael said gaining everyone's attention. "The Magnus Bane has finally been tamed." He said causing everyone to once again laugh.

**"Magnus!" several excitable children yell, before they rush over and collide with his legs. He nearly buckles under the impact, but it's the sound of Alec's carefree,** _**joyous** _ **laughter that truly makes his knees weak.**

**The kids don't stay enthralled with his arrival for very long, as they quickly retreat back to Alec's side. Magnus can't even blame them for the betrayal; he, too, is drawn to Alec. There are multiple children hanging off of the shadowhunter's shoulders and arms as if he's some impossibly tall, runed up jungle gym. That certainly seems to be what the children think, as they readily gravitate towards Alec, begging for piggyback rides and to be tossed in the air. They grab at his hands and tug him every which way, climbing up his legs, pulling on his jacket, a few hands even yanking at his hair in their excitement. The immature magic of young warlocks sparks in the air, harmless little bolts of magic skittering over skin and fizzling out like sparklers. Most of it centers on Alec, dancing in the air around him as the kids eagerly cling to him.**

**And Alec seems so utterly at ease among them, more at ease than Magnus has ever seen him outside of the loft. He gently moves whichever way they carelessly tug him, he laughs at the ticklish sensation of magic flickering over him. There's no fear or discomfort or worry lining his face. Instead, there's gentle wonder and a glorious smile and a brilliant blush settled graciously over his features.**

**Magnus** _**loves** _ **him.**

"Oh My God you love him, we get it already!!!" Jace yelled causing Alec to blush and Magnus to giggle.

**Alec cautiously extricates himself from the gaggle of children swarming him and tiptoes closer to Magnus and Edith. The children inexplicably follow him, reminiscent of little ducklings that have imprinted upon their new shadowhunter friend. Several kids are clinging to Alec like limpets, another few hitching a ride on his legs. Alec is holding a total of five kids – ranging from a toddler who can barely walk to a twelve-year-old boy who is the eldest of the lot – and he makes it all look so** _**easy** _ **, as if Alec Lightwood was** _**born** _ **to carry children around.**

**It is undeniably one of the most heartwarmingly attractive things Magnus has ever seen in the entirety of his life.**

Magnus and Alec has moved from their previous position, so now Alec's face is hidden in Magnus's shoulder making the warlock giggle. Alec couldn't take all of the compliments that Magnus was giving him, it made him feel all weird and warm inside. All of the praise made him important and so so happy, but also very squirmy. Alec really doesn't understand it, but it feels like a burning pit in the bottom of his stomach and Magnus was the on who caused it.

**The shadowhunter ducks his head once he finally reaches the two older warlocks, and Magnus knows he would rub his neck in embarrassment if not for the kids he's currently holding. "I'm sorry," he apologizes sincerely. "I know I should have stayed in the foyer, but I heard Penny start crying and I had to do** _**something** _ **," he explains worriedly, gesturing to the toddler girl that has her chubby little arms wrapped around his neck.**

**Said child holds out one of her legs, where a nasty scrape mars her knee. "I fell," she explains shortly. "Alec couldn't heal it 'cause he doesn't have magic, but he kissed it and now it's all better!" Penny tosses her arms in the air with a joyful abandon, and Alec turns red enough that Magnus fears he might faint. Magnus** _**would** _ **step in to help alleviate the poor man's embarrassment, but he's enjoying this whole situation** _**far** _ **too much.**

'Hmm, maybe I was wrong about this shadowhunter.' Edith thinks as the girl sitting next to her, Penny, was laughing and giggling because she was mentioned in the story. 'Maybe shadowhunters do change.' She thought as she stared at the eldest Lightwood in front of the theater.

**"Grandma!" one of the children – the eldest, a preteen boy that Magnus vaguely remembers as being exceptionally surly last time he visited – calls over the ruckus. He's tossed over Alec's shoulder, looking for all the world like a sack of potatoes, but one that is giggling madly. "Alec is** _**so cool!"** _ **the boy cheers. "Can he come visit us more often? Please, Grandma!"**

**The boy's begging is, of course, promptly added to by a chorus of other children crying out** _**'please'** _ **all while Alec stands there looking like he would very much prefer to disappear.**

"You really don't like attention do you sayang?" Magnus asked Alec who nodded before he realized what Magnus said. "What did you just say?" Alec questioned making the warlock to become confused. "You really don't like attention?" Magnus said recalling the words he just said. Alec shook his head,"The other thing." Magnus was lost in thought before he asked,"Sayang?" "Yes that one, what does that mean?" Alec asked the warlock which caused Magnus to have a slight grin. "It's Indonesian for 'darling'" He said which caused Alec to blush once again and hide his face back into Magnus's shoulder. The warlock laughed at his shadowhunter's actions before returning his attention back to the paper in his hands.

**Edith's entire demeanor seems to soften in light of the unprecedented scene before her, until she finally resembles the kind woman that Magnus befriended long ago. "If that is alright with Alec, then he is welcome to visit whenever he would like," she decides, to the resounding cheers of the kids.**

"See told you he wasn't that bad." Cat said as she nudged Edith lightly. "Seems you were right once again Catarina, but then again when aren't you." Edith said causing her friend to laugh.

**For the rest of the day, Magnus doesn't really get any time to reflect on his revelations, as both he and Alexander are roped into spending the rest of the afternoon at the orphanage, and even eating dinner with the ragtag little family. Alec is far too preoccupied with giving piggyback rides, and reading books, and swinging on the jungle gym to really spend time with Magnus. But the warlock doesn't mind, not one bit, as the day gives him plenty of opportunities to watch Alec interact with the kids and feel his heart ache with such a profound love.**

**His heart is nearly exhausted from all the hard work it's been doing when they are finally released from the orphanage. They stand side by side on the stoop, wrapped up in their winter coats, pressed close together to evade the chill. Alec's face is outlined by a nearby streetlamp, and Magnus can't help but wax poetic about it in the sanctuary of his own mind.**

**Before the words can tumble out past his lips and ultimately embarrass him, Magnus grabs Alec by the lapels of his coat and tugs the young man closer, melding their lips together in a fierce kiss. It takes a second for Alec to catch up with the sudden movement, but then he's sinking into Magnus' embrace, bringing his hands up to rest on the warlock's waist.**

"Damn go get some of that big bro!!!" Izzy shouted with Clary and Jace whooping next to her and Simon fangirling or fanboying as he likes to call it.

"Ew." Max said as he read about the kiss. "Kissing nasty." Madzie shook her head and said," I think it's sweet." Max then looked towards the little warlock girl. "That's because you're a girl."

"Na-uh, I'm a boy and I think it's cute." A boy from the warlock orphanage yelled. Soon all the kids were arguing about the kiss be cute or nasty.

"Well how about we re-enact what we just read, sayang~" Magnus asked grabbing Alec's chin gently and moving his face towards him. Alec just stared at Magnus with a red face not knowing what to do. I mean of course he wants to kiss Magnus, but he didn't want his first kiss to be around this many people. (If only you knew Alec, if only you knew.) "Maybe we- shu- should, uh just wa-wait. I mean we ol- or- ony, only just got to know each other and- y-I- it's-" Alec was cut off with a finger in front of his lips. "It's just a little to early." Magnus guessed correctly making Alec to nod, relieved he didn't have to say it himself.

**They finally pull apart when they need to breathe. Magnus slides his hands up Alec's neck and rests them on the shadowhunter's cheeks, leaning their foreheads against each other and letting their breath fog up the air between them. Alec keeps his eyes closed, reveling in the quiet peace that exists between them. Eventually, those beautiful hazel eyes blink open and Magnus feels himself fall into their depths.**

"Awwww~" The girls and some guys in the theater once again whispered.

**"What was that for?" Alec finally murmurs, voice hushed so as to not disturb the quiet that blankets them like fresh snow.**

**A grin tugs at Magnus' lips. "One," he counts. "How many kisses did the kids count when you were jumping rope? Thirteen, was it?" he hums teasingly.**

**Predictably, and rather adorably, Alec blushes. "I don't think I could survive another twelve more kisses like that," he admits with a slight chuckle.**

"We should test that later, shouldn't we Alexander?" Magnus teasingly asked making the shadowhunter to blush and turn away causing Magnus to once again giggle.

**"You should've thought of that before being so good at** _**jumping rope,** _ **" Magnus teases. "Why didn't you ever tell me that it was one of your hidden talents?" he muses as they link hands and begin walking down the street.**

**Alec shrugs, although it's obvious by the pink rushing down his neck that he's still embarrassed by the whole affair. "You never asked?" he suggests helplessly.**

**Magnus laughs, but can't stop the other question lingering in his head. "I also never knew that you were so good with kids," he mentions casually.**

**Again, the shadowhunter shrugs and brings his free hand up to rub at his neck. "Yeah, I guess I've always liked kids. Maybe it's because I spent so much time helping raise my siblings, or maybe it's because they don't really have all the crazy expectations that adults do. I don't know. But kids just make me happy, I guess," he explains nervously.**

"That's adorable." Clary said making Alec to jokingly glare at her which made the girl laugh.

**There's a brightness to Alec's eyes, a warmth that Magnus has been seeing more and more lately. A fragile little light that seems to be nurtured the longer they are together, the more time Alec spends outside of the Institute and instead learning to enjoy his own life. Magnus treasures that light; he wants to cup it in his hands and keep it warm for all eternity. Idly, hopelessly,** _**desperately** _ **he wishes that the light is that same all-encompassing feeling of** _**love** _ **that Magnus has finally realized. He wonders if Alec feels the same.**

**Before his mind can follow that potentially dangerous train of thought, his boyfriend stumbles to a halt beside him, their linked hands ensuring that Magnus is also brought to an abrupt stop.**

**"Magnus!" Alec nearly shouts, sounding almost distraught.**

**Immediately, Magnus steps closer and looks to see what's wrong, but nothing apparent jumps out at him.**

**"We only have two weeks to get Christmas presents for** _**seven kids** _ **! We** _**have** _ **to get the coolest presents we can, I refuse to be some lame surrogate uncle to gets** _**socks** _ **for kids!"**

All of the adults in the theater start to laugh at the young shadowhunter's behavior, his sibling being the loudest.

**Already, Alec is dragging him in the direction of a nearby toy store while Magnus throws his head back and laughs. His breath fogs in the air, dispersing out into existence just as love seems to seep out of every pore of his body. Magnus willingly follows Alec down the street. Magnus would willingly follow Alec anywhere.**

"That was soooooo cute!!!!!" Isabelle screeched having everyone cover their ears. "Maybe we should duct-tape your mouth next time we read something." Jace said as he continued to rub his ears that might have hearing lost. "Oh shush, I know you thought it was cute too. You had a smile the whole entire time." Izzy said, but of course Jace denied it.

"You know sayang, I really would willing follow you anywhere." Magnus said that made Alec blush fiercely. Just before Alec could say something back Edith stepped in front of the both of them catching their attention. "I would just like to say I'm sorry. I wrongly judged you without getting to know you. I insulted you and your kind over and over again without any feeling or shred of regret. I had no right to say that and I would understand if you don't want to forgive me." Edith put her head down mad at herself for not getting to know the shadowhunter that Magnus loves so much. "Of course I'll forgive you." Those words made Edith's head snap up not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm sorry what did you just say?" The female warlock asked thinking she heard wrong. "I said of course I'll forgive you." The shadowhunter said tilting his head slightly. "But why?" She asked confused. "Because you were only trying to protect the one you love and care about. The shadowhunters you knew were monsters and some still are, so I understand why you were saying those things. If I had to get used to the fact of one of my friends were dating someone who has done wrong for so long I would be against it too. So, I forgive you." Alec said looking at Edith, who had tears in her eyes. "Thank you, so much. I didn't deserve your apology." She said as she was about to go back to her seat. "A wait can I ask you a question?" Alec asked. "You technically already did, but yes you may." Edith said turning to face the shadowhunter. "Is it ok for me to visit the orphanage?" Alec asked his face slightly pink. "Of course, you don't even have to ask. You're always welcomed." Edith said with a bright smile before going to her seat.

Alec turned back to Magnus and saw that he was staring at him. "Uh, what is it?" He asked the warlock. "Nothing you're just truly too god for this world." Magnus said as he pulled Alec into a hug causing the him to blush. Magnus promises to protect Alec with every bone in his body, if it means that he will change the world for the better. Which Magnus knows he will, that they both will, someday together.


	7. Malec Moments

It took a while, but Magnus finally let go of Alec, reluctantly of course. The only reason he let Alexander go was because he was sure that the shadowhunter would pass out from embarrassment. He looked so close to fainting with all of the blood rushing towards his face. Magnus honestly thought that this boy looked nothing like a Lightwood, well physically he did. He just acts nothing like a Lightwood, he's not smug or manipulative instead he is kind and trie to reason with people rather than manipulate them. He also prefers to stay out of the spot light, he actually looks uncomfortable when attention is on him. He is different from all of the Lightwoods ha has met before. When Magnus first saw him, he actually thought that Alec was a Herondale. He looked so much like his friend Will, but then again Cecily and Gabriel did marry and have children so there is a little bit of Herondale blood in him.

"Hiya!!" I exclaimed causing Magnus and many other to jerk back in surprise. "Oh sorry." I said sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck. "I didn't mean to scare anyone." I was giggling nervously at the glares I was receiving from the crowd.

"Anyway." I said clearing my throat. "I have decided to let you guys watch a couple of videos today, seeing as that we haven't watch any for a while."

I snapped my fingers and a video on the screen appeared. "Enjoy the show." I said as I went back to the balcony high above the rest.

"Damn Magnus was gone for you as soon as he saw you." Max said making his siblings and their friends laugh and giggle. "Well what can I say, Alexander is truly a work of art." Magnus said his voice purring.

Alec just sat there with his face slightly pink crossing his arms across his chest. "Well that's I- uh, maybe-" Alec was once again by Magnus's finger in front of his lips, which Alec was extremely thankful for. Now he can stop embarrassing himself with his stuttering.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww." The girls and some of the guys exclaimed when they saw that Alec was once again a stuttering mess. "Can we just appreciate how Alec was just having a gay panic?" Izzy asked teasingly making a couple of people laugh.

"I wasn't having a gay panic." Alec said pouting a little. 

"I assure you darling, you were in fact having a mini gay panic. Which is totally understandable, I am an attractive warlock, if I do say so myself." Magnus said leaning closer to the shadowhunter. Alec's face was flushed red, he couldn't handle all of this attention he was getting from Magnus.

"I just love how oblivious you are to the flirting even though it it painfully obvious." Clary said giggling at the fact. "And how he smiled when Magnus called him pretty boy." Izzy added. "And how he just dissed Jace like that." Simon said making everyone laugh. "Oh fuck off mundane." Jace said crossing his arms over his chest making a pissed face.

"Damn it Clary, why can't you be less stubborn and stay still?! Alec would've said yes!" Simon shouted looking at the red head. "I'm actually pissed at myself for this." Clary said putting her head in her hands. "Does this mean you going to stop running off Fray?" Alec asked with a smirk. "No way in hell Lightwood." Clary spat back with a sly grin.

"I see you Alec, over there sharing your energy to help your future bae." Izzy said making the shadowhunter mentioned to blush. "Also let him rest on you afterwards too." Jace said with a wide grin. "Oh my god." Alec groaned. "I think you mean 'Oh my Magnus'" Clary said causing Izzy to give her a high-five and Alec's face to turn red yet again.

"Damn you and your repressed feeling Alec!!" Izzy screamed making people jump. "He invited you for breakfast and you just left, you already spent the night!!!!" Izzy then grabbed Clary's hand needing to hold onto something. "UGH!" Izzy now put her head on Jace's shoulder causing the boy to laugh at his sister's over-dramatic behavior.

"You really can't handle your liquor, can you sayang?" Magnus asked causing Alec to blush. "I'm not one to party." Alec said rubbing the back of his neck. "I've noticed." Magnus said leaning closer causing Alec to turn impossibly brighter. "But maybe you'll make an exception for me?" Magnus teasingly asked before pulling back leaving Alec to stare off into space.

*Pretend the first part didn't happen*

A couple of girls and guys fawned over the shirtless Alec on the screen causing the shadowhunter to once again hide his face in his hands. When Alec looked up from his hands he saw Magnus staring at him or rather his slightly below his collarbone. "Damn with all those baggy clothes I've never would have guessed you got that hiding under there." The warlock said causing the shadowhunter to blush again. It's not his fault that baggy clothes are comfortable and soft. "The clothes are comfortable." Alec mumbled avoiding eye contact with the warlock, in fear of embarrassing himself even more if he looks at that warlock again.

"ALEC SO HELP ME IF YOU DON'T KISS THAT WARLOCK SOON I WILL KILL YOU!!" Izzy shouted making people flinch back in fear. "Damn Izzy scary when she pissed." Clary whispered to Jace. "Just wait until you rip her clothes or mess up her make-up." Jace said shivering in fear.

Everyone in the theater was screaming, Izzy, Clary and Simon the loudest. The ones who disapproved kept their mouths shut, good thing too because if they didn't they would have Jace, Clary and Izzy all up on their asses. 

Alec sat there with his face red knowing that the warlock was looking at him with a flirty expression. "Can I kiss you now?" Magnus asked leaning in one again. Alec nodded mutely too flustered to think straight much less to say anything. Magnus leaned in kissing Alec causing people to scream once again, a couple recording(*Cough Cough* Izzy). Unlike the kiss on the screen it was soft and gentle. Alec felt like he was in heaven and was a little disappointed when Magnus broke the kiss so early. But that disappointment soon turned into embarrassment when Alec realized he was leaning in again. Too embarrassed to act upon his intended action Alec simply rested his head on Magnus's chest too flustered to do anything else.

"Damn Simon." Jace said shaking his head. "You're like their number one fan." Simon shook his head. "I would love to claim that title, but I'm pretty sure that it belongs to Isabelle." Izzy jumped up. "Damn right it does." She said causing her friends to laugh.

"I just want to say that you are fucking amazing Lydia, I that you encouraged Alec into going to Magnus." Izzy said pointing at the Branwell who was a little sheepish at the attention on her. "It's no problem, besides you can clearly see how hopelessly in love they are." She said causing Izzy to grab Clary's and go to Lydia's seat and seating down next to her. "You are now my new bestfriend, we should totally make a fan group." Izzy said ignoring the look of awkwardness on Clary's face. "What would the group be called, or better yet what would we call Magnus and Alec?" Lydia asked causing Izzy and Clary to go into deep thought.

"What about Malec?" Clary asked making both girls to almost get whiplash from turning so fast. "That's perfect." Izzy said hugging Clary tightly. "Ok Magnus and Alec's ship name is now Malec. We should totally have fangirl meetings." Izzy said pulling in Lydia and Clary for a group hug. "Uh, sure. I can't wait to know more about my cousin." Lydia said flashing Clary a smile.

Jace and Simon looked away from the commotion the girls were starting. "Girls are crazy." Jace said causing Simon to nod his head in agreement. "So, what do you think about becoming a vampire in the future?" Jace asked trying to start a conversation. "Uh, I think that I would have a rough transition, but seeing that I was happy in the video I think that it will be a little fun." Simon said awkwardly. Jace and Simon then turned away, finished with the awkward conversation.

I then come down from the balcony gaining the crowd's attention. "I just want ya'll to know that, that was Alec's first kiss. Yeah I know it didn't look like his first kiss because it looked like a mini makeout session, but I assure you it was. Also we are going to read what would happen if Magnus and Alec slept on the same couch next." I said causing Izzy to squeal. 

"I can't wait to read this." Izzy said to Clary and Lydia can't waiting to read about what's going to happen next.


	8. That One Awkward Moment

Alec rubbed his ears which were probably damaged from his sister's screeching and screaming. He loves his sister, he really does but when she screams Alec just feels like he needs to be more than a 5 mile radius away from Isabelle. He swears that all of her screeching has brought back at least one person from the dead.

Magnus looked over to Alec wondering how he got a person like him. I mean look at him and it's not just his looks. Alec is kind, sweet, generous and he loves children. He is also very understanding and doesn't hold a grudge against people who don't deserve it. He has also never abused his power, not in the future and not even now. And he wasn't scared to show everyone that he has feeling for him. He crashed his own wedding to kiss the warlock in front of his guest, and that also includes clave members and envoys.

Just as Magnus was getting lost in his thoughts a paper appeared in his hand, it must be the new story they were going to read/listen to. 

It should be pretty interesting seeing as that him and Alec are going to wake up from sleeping on the same couch.

"Ok guys as I have already told you, we are going to read what happened if Alec and Magnus slept on the same couch and I just want to say that I put a little enchantment on the kids so that if we see or read anything that uses profanity or has sexual content they would see and hear something else." I said causing Alec to blush, now knowing that they will hear and read about sexual content later on in the future. 

"The story is called Repost: The Morning After and the writer is PhoenixStar73." I said just before starting to read.

**The light was WAY too bright, streaming in through the tall windows of the loft, burning behind eyelids.**

**Alec jolted awake, bleary eyed. First he noticed the blurry surroundings. Then the headache. Yow, he thought miserably, I am *never* drinking so much again.**

**At least not those crazy conoctions. Thing was, after the 6 or 7th Martini, it really all just started tasting like water, and then it was too easy to continue...**

"I've never heard of a Martini tasting like water." Izzy said thinking about all the times she had a Martini. "Magnus probably made it weaker seeing as that it was Alec's first time drinking." Lydia said, Izzy nodded accepting the answer.

**Other things started coming into focus.**

**He was lying down sideways, his whole body stretched out on a firm surface. He mused that it could be the floor...but it was way too comfortable where he was. He yawned and stretched his arms luxuriously.**

**Could he allow himself a few more minutes of sleep, it was *really* way too comfortable here. He started to put his head back down on the surface again...**

**Then he noticed the surface area was actually not flat. It was definitely *not* the floor.**

**Actually, he was still *on* the couch...but not *lying* directly on the couch. The surface was kind of broad, uneven and firm. Not to mention that the area where his head was lying on was moving slightly.**

"I bet I can guess what he's laying on." Clary said while smirking making Lydia and Izzy giggle.

**And a weight -- a very comfortable feeling weight, Alec noted -- on his back.**

**Alec wrenched his head up sharply.**

**He found himself at eye level with Magnus's torso, particularly the part where his shirt was slit into a V, revealing his golden muscular chest and and abs.**

"Ooooooooo~" Izzy said making Alec blush.

**Wait, what?**

**He arched his head up slowly. His head had been lying on Magnus's stomach the *whole* night. In fact, he was on the *lower* part of the warlocks stomach.**

"Wait, his lower stomach?" Simon asked in a suggestive way causing Jace to laugh and Alec to blush harder than before. 

**Magnus was still asleep, his stomach rising up and down with his even breathing. And that was Magnus's muscular arm around his back. It felt cozy, even as Alec did not want to admit it to himself.**

_**But there's no way he should be cradled or canoodling with a warlock, even if it was by accident, due to getting drunk!** _

**Wow, did he just use the word 'canoodling' to describe this? Did Alec even *know* the meaning of the word, having had no prior experience of this type?**

**Boy, he mused wryly, today just might be my lucky day, he thought...**

**Magnus's hold around his back was a bit firm, and Alec wriggled slightly, to see how far he could loosen it. He moved his arm slightly, Magnus muttered something unintelligible.**

**Then something hard jutted Alec's arm on the side. And then it seemed to *grow* in length.Magnus was still asleep, his stomach rising up and down with his even breathing. And that was Magnus's muscular arm around his back. It felt cozy, even as Alec did not want to admit it to himself.**

_**But there's no way he should be cradled or canoodling with a warlock, even if it was by accident, due to getting drunk!** _

**Wow, did he just use the word 'canoodling' to describe this? Did Alec even *know* the meaning of the word, having had no prior experience of this type?**

**Boy, he mused wryly, today just might be my lucky day, he thought...**

**Magnus's hold around his back was a bit firm, and Alec wriggled slightly, to see how far he could loosen it. He moved his arm slightly, Magnus muttered something unintelligible.**

**Then something hard jutted Alec's arm on the side. And then it seemed to *grow* in length.**

Izzy, Clary and Lydia snorted knowing already what Alec felt.

**Alec's eyes widened.**

**It had occurred** **_below_ ** **Magnus's stomach.**

The clave members and other shadowhunters gasped in horror as they realized what Alex was laying on. Alec on the other hand was figuring out ways to become invisible. Ragnor, Cat and Raphael were sighing, thinking about how many times that a small incident like this caused one night stands and fuck buddies with Magnus. Clary, Lydia, Izzy and Simon were laughing and giggling. Jace was slightly disturbed, but was laughing at the situation his parabatai found himself in. Magnus was looking at Alec with a understanding expression, knowing that the shadowhunter was more than likely to react to this badly/embarrassing. And the kids in the theater was wondering why everyone in the theater was either scared or amused.

**Alec froze, his brain short-circuiting. He willed himself to not look in that area, even as his brain was casually observing that it was far from being a** **_small_ ** **something.**

**More like dense, and big. The area of his arm where that *thing* was jutting into, it was getting tingly.**

"Damn big brother, you got lucky." Izzy said making Alec groan with embarrassment and causing her friends to laugh at his embarrassment.

**Oh my god, Alec thought, flushing, moving his arm away. To think that was closest he has ever gotten to touching such a thing --!**

**Alec suddenly felt something get equally as hard and grow in length, south of his waist, and suddenly he was wheezing as his heart pounded in his ears and chest.**

Alec hid his face into Magnus's shoulder, unable to cope with the humiliation he was feeling right now. Magnus. being the understanding and kind warlock he was, refrained from talking to Alec only knowing that it would embarrass him more.

Izzy and Jace were about to make a comment, but decided to show their brother mercy before he explodes from humiliation. The same thing went for Clary, Lydia and Simon. Even Maia stopped herself from making a comment.

**Uhhh this could get EXTREMELY awkward, Alec thought, feeling desperate.**

**Taking a deep breath, he tried again to jostle himself loose. He managed to get himself a bit loose, and was about to swing his legs over the couch to stand up, when suddenly a flash of gray jumped very close to him.**

**He yelped, and he felt himself falling forward -- facefirst into a now-awake Magnus!**

**Magnus's eyes opened in shock, flickering gold and brown, having been accosted so unexpectedly.**

**His arms shot out instinctively to catch the archer around the waist. Alec, to brace himself from flailing and falling too much, shot out his arm at the first surface he could grab -- which ended up being something warm yet solid.**

**Both of their eyes focused upon Alec's large hand clutching Magnus's upper thigh, held in an *iron* grip. Of which inches away was Magnus's very obvious hard-on.**

"Oh my god, this is going to get really awkward." Simon said with multiple people shushing him afterwards. Alec whimpered not being able to believe that he out of all people got into such an embarrassing situation.

**Which was hugeeee, Alec thought, his eyes widening as he couldn't help but gaze upon the spectacle.**

"Poor big brother, he's feeling up Magnus but not in the way I expected him to." Izzy whispered to Clary and Lydia with a giggle.

**He was about to faint from embarrassment.**

**He closed his eyes, trying to will the thought away, but now all he could see was Magnus's hardon, clearly outlined in his too tight black pants.**

**Magnus looked equally as shocked and embarrassed as they both realized that Magnus now practically had the Shadowhunter in an almost embrace with both arms around Alec's waist, their bodies almost flush against one another, with Alec's hand firmly around one of his thighs.**

**And near his hard-on.**

"Oh by the angel." Alec cried wondering what he did to get into this situation.

**"Uh, Alec?" Magnus was the first to speak.**

**Or rather, stuttered. "Your h-hand?"**

**At that moment, Magnus knew his cheeks were hot pink, and he willed his eyes to stay focused. Do not drop the glamour, do not drop the glamour! Magnus thought desperately.**

"Why are you worried about a glamour at a time like this?" Izzy asked.

"You'll see." Magnus responded while rubbing Alec's back in an attempt to comfort the shadowhunter.

**The last thing he needed to add to this awkward moment would be for Alec to think he was a total freak.**

"Ohhh, you mean your demon mark." Izzy said causing Magnus to nod solemnly.

**"Uh, yea," Alec said, flushing furiously as he disentangled his hand quickly from his thigh, and putting it behind his back.**

**"Sorry," he added. His hand was still tingling madly.**

**"Something ran past me, and I jumped and fell. On you. I'm so sorry." He looked down.**

"Awww, it's ok sayang." Magnus said causing Alec to whimper once again.

**Magnus cleared his throat. "Yes, it did seem like that. Not to worry, Alexander. It was an accident," he stated.**

"That was one hell of an accident." Maryse said, shocking the people around her.

**Alec looked up at that moment, and caught Magnus's amused gaze, his mouth stretched out into a smile which looked ready to burst.**

**"It's not funny! Alec stated, trying to keep a serious face and tone.**

**Magnus totally ignored that, and burst into laughter. Alec couldn't keep the serious face for long as a huge guffaw escaped his mouth, and soon tears were rolling down his face.**

"Wow I'm surprised you got my brother to laugh after such a mortifying experience." Isabelle said looking shocked. Magnus shrugged his shoulders,"What can I say? It's a talent." Cat shook her head at Magnus, the man couldn't do anything without praising others or himself.

**"Yea, I guess it's pretty funny, huh?" He wiped his eyes as he laughed.**

**"What time is it? I need to get back to the institute," he stated nervously.**

**This was the first time he had spent the night outside of the Institute, not to mention waking up naturally as opposed to having an alarm clock wake him up at 5am...**

"You've never slept outside of the institute before?" Magnus asked surprised; Alec shook his head no. "Oh you poor child, being stuck in there for so long." Magnus said in a joking tone making Izzy and Jace laugh.

**"Stay for breakfast," Magnus stated, and with a flourish, brought forth two cups of coffee, fresh and steaming. Cream and sugar were on the side of each saucer. "It is the least I can do. Also, I conjure up a mean Belgian waffle..."**

**Magnus grinned as Alec's eyes lit up at the mention of the Belgian waffle. Aww, he thought, like a little kid on his birthday, so adorable! Magnus thought.**

"I'm not adorable." Alec said tilting his head up o that he could look at Magnus. "I'm a shadowhunter, I protect people from demons, monsters and all things evil and I can tell you that I am a really fierce opponent in battle. So no, I am not adorable." Alec said with a pout causing Jace, Clary, Lydia, Simon, Max, Isabelle and even Maryse to snort at the boy's behavior. Magnus on the other hand was trying his best not to coo at the cute shadowhunter that was laying on his shoulder.

**A soft grumble then came out from Alec's stomach, and Alec made a face. Admittedly he *was* hungry...**

**"Does it come with strawberries, whipped cream and syrup?" he asked. All of which appeared on the table in another flourish.**

**Man, Alec thought, watching Magnus work his magic with those graceful hands, he was sure *great* with his hands.**

**Only for his brain to then be slammed with visions of his hand on Magnus's thigh and the hardness next to it from earlier today, along with what those graceful hands might be capable of....**

"This is most certainly different from what my brother usually thinks." Isabelle said causing a couple of people in the crowd to laugh.

**"Um, *no*," Alec said to no one in particular.**

**Magnus looked up quizzically. "Is something wrong?" he asked.**

**Magnus's handsome face looked so soft in the morning light by the window, and even though he had not magicked his hair in his normal updo, his soft hair looked so amazing and inviting, like it was made to run fingers through**

**"No, nothing's wrong," Alec said, taking a deep breath. He looked at Magnus, willing a smile. "This looks great, let's eat."**

**"That was delicious," Alec said, his fork scraping the plate as the last of the waffle was eaten. The food at the Institute had not even come close to this simple breakfast dish.**

"Please all of the food in the Institute tastes like shit." Jace said. "No offense." He said to the Institute cooks before looking back at the paper in his hands.

**Magnus beamed.**

**Still smiling, Alec absentminded put his hands in his pockets, expecting his phone to be there. No phone. Alec looked down to make sure. Where WAS his phone??**

**BZZZZZ! BZZZZZ!**

**Oh crap, I had put my phone on vibrate last night, Alec thought.**

**No wonder the morning had been too eeriely quiet. He followed the sound to the couch, where it seemed to be coming from behind a large grey furry pillow.**

**Of course Magnus would have fancy and odd things such as a furry pillow, Alec thought, smiling, as he reached his hand to push the pillow aside.**

**The pillow suddenly leaped directly at him.**

"What the hell do you have in your house anyway?" Clary asked obviously scared. "Nothing too scary I promise, all though I don't remember getting anything grey and fluffy, and especially not a pillow that can move." The warlock said.

**"Holy shit," he yelled.**

"My brother, my big brother Alec cursing. Out loud!? Never thought I see the day." Izzy said giggling. "Well read in this case."

**It was the gray thing from earlier this morning. He hand automatically went back to get his bow and arrows...which of course were NOT there.**

**A flash of blue appeared before him, and the thing in question was now sitting calmly on the floor, its big yellow eyes looking at Alec solemnly. Then he started preening, cleaning its face with its paws. It was almost...cute.**

**Alec looked over to where the flash of blue had come from.**

**Magnus was standing there, glaring at the cat.**

**"Meet Chairman Meow," he said dryly. "Never wastes an opportunity to make an entrance. Charming, eh?"**

**"Sounds like someone I know," Alec responded automatically, in a teasing voice.**

**Having heard his own words, he flushed, just as Magnus's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Who knew the boy could flirt? Magnus mused.**

"I didn't." Jace said causing his friends to laugh.

**Something soft brushed up against Alec's black pant legs.**

**Alec looked down. Chairman Meow had made himself comfortable by Alec, deciding to rub his head against Alec's legs.**

**Alec reached done to scratch Chairman Meow behind the ears, and a loud purr came out from the cat.**

"That's quite strange." Magnus said causing Alec to look up at him. "What is?" The shadowhunter asked. Magnus looked at Alec and said, "Chairman Meow has never taken such a great liking to people he's just met." Alec nodded thinking about Church. He really misses his cat.

**"Wow," Magnus stated, looking at the both of them. "Chairman Meow has never liked anyone that quickly before."**

**"He's pretty cool, " Alec said.**

**He loved cats.**

"Awwwww, that's cute." Clary said in a teasing tone causing Alec to blush. "It's not my fault that they're fluffy." Alec said as Magnus was trying to contain his giggles.

**He continued scratching the back of the cat's ears for a bit, and then remembered again that he was trying to find his phone. He moved to where the buzzing sound was, retrieved his phone from in between cushions, and turned the display on.**

**Chairman Meow leapt onto the couch and sauntered into Alec's lap as if he belonged there. Loud purring commenced once again as the cat closed its eyes.**

**Alec couldn't help smiling.**

**That smile faded, as he saw all the missed calls.**

**20 missed calls,10 missed texts, to be exact. From Izzy and Jace. He opened one of Izzy's more recent texts.**

"That's a lot of missed calls and texts." Max said causing Jace and Izzy to snort. "If you think that's a lot just wait until you start going to clubs and parties." Izzy said causing Jace to laugh. "And sleeping out, if you don't tell Alec were you are you would have at least 50 missed calls and 120 missed texts." Jace said causing Magnus to look at Alec with a raise eyebrow. "What? Anything could have happened. They could have gotten killed, kidnapped, tortured. They could be bleeding out in an alley. Or outnumbered in a fight. Or-" Alec was cut off with a finger being raised to his lips.

"I understand, you're simply just being a big brother and a good one too." Alec blushed at the compliment and started to read the story once more.

**"Hey big brother," he could imagine Izzy's teasing voice saying, "How is your overnight going? Don't forget to use protection."**

Snorts were heard all over the room.

**He groaned.**

**Jace's text, which was from just an hour ago, seemed frantic. "Alec, where ARE you? You need to report, Maryse and Robert are coming to the Institute today!"**

A lot of shadowhunter cringed knowing how tough Maryse and Robert could be, especially Maryse.

**Oh crap. He stood up quickly, Chairman Meow meowing in protest. "So sorry, Chairman," Alec murmured. Magnus looked at him questioningly.**

**"I gotta go. Im needed at the Institute. I should not have been playing around here. Or staying over. What was I thinking??" Alec stated angrily. He was so mad at himself. Also, if Magnus had not given him all those drinks, it would have been easier to stick to his routine and schedule. Basically he would have just gone home after the 4 drinks, and there would have been no trouble today. Or having to explain why he was late today.**

**"Yea, what *were* you thinking?" Magnus echoed in a sarcastic voice. "I was not the one who insisted on stronger drinks, *Alec*." Alec winced at the use of that name. "Well, so much for my efforts at hospitality. Get along now,** **_shadowhunter_ ** **. Do what you do best," he stated in a cold, detached voice. Alec's words had kicked him in the gut, and they had hurt. However, he was *not* going to make a scene.**

"That sucks." Simon said having everyone shush him once again, to his displeasure. 

**An unreadable expression crossed Alec's face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. Alec quickly headed toward the door. Then he turned around. "If you tell ANYONE about this ---"**

**"Don't worry," Magnus said continuing in the detached voice. "What would the warlocks say, my letting a** **_Shadowhunter_ ** **stay the night..." he added, haughtily. He hated having to put up a wall, but Alec's words just kept piercing right through. And here I thought we were getting somewhere last night. I guess NOT, he thought dejectedly. Despite his mood, he pasted on a smile to show Alec that it did not bother him.**

"Oh poor Maggie." Madzie said causing everyone to laugh. "Where did you get Maggie from?" Magnus asked with a smile on his face. "It's a nick name because I really like you and I thought that I would give you a really cute one because you're so pretty." Madzie said flashing a smile that melt his heart. "Awwww." Alec said resisting the urge to hug the girl. Alec turned to Magnus, who had a smug grin on his face. "Shut up." Alec mumbled with a red face, pushing the warlock's shoulder.

**Alec's expression seemed to change slightly. "So why did you let me stay?" Alec asked.**

**"Trust makes people do strange things," Magnus mused, looking directly at Alec. He shrugged. "Must be something in the air." His gaze softened despite his attempt to be stoic. It tugged at something inside Alec, and he couldn't help but wish that the world was** **_different_ ** **.** **_More accepting. Also something about Magnus's smile just did not hit right with Alec._ ** **It just did not seem...sincere. Not natural, like how things were last night. He also did not want to admit that his cold detached voice were like painful embers of fire, hitting straight into his soul.**

**He sighed, and stepped back from the door.**

**"I didn't mean to be abrupt. Or to seem like it was not an enjoyable night. Thanks again for last night, and for breakfast this morning," Alec said sincerely.**

**Magnus's eyes widened in surprise at the comment. Alec was acting...appreciative. He suddenly felt more light, and his anger disappeared. His smile widened more genuinely.**

"There isn't many people who appreciates the work that I've done for them, no matter how dangerous or difficult." Magnus said looking at Alec. "Yet you would appreciate me for doing something as simple as making you breakfast." The warlock looked at the shadowhunter with a soft smile across his face, happy knowing that this would be the man that he would spend his future with.

**"Well, except for that other stuff this morning," Alec added, attempting to gesture with his hands to describe the indescribable. Magnus chuckled, and Alec joined in as well. Alec grinned, and added, "Well, that was definitely...something." A flush rose and spread across his face, and he looked down. Again, Magnus thought how handsome this Shadowhunter was, and so cute...**

"I'm not cute." Alec mumbled with a slight blush on his face.

**"Would you like for me to do a memory spell, so that the events are forgotten?" Magnus suggested helpfully. "To keep from distracting you from duty?"**

**"You can do that?" Alec wondered. It would be easier for him to go about the day, without the knowledge that his parents were Circle members and kept that from him. He shuddered again at the thought. What a waste trying to be the perfect son, facing impossible standards all his life, and then to find out his parents were criminals! And it would certainly be easier (and less distracting) to get through the day without remembering all the stuff regarding Magnus and all these feelings that could never be resolved. Nephilim just didn't have these feelings.**

**Then again, this experience, and these feelings, were HIS and HIS only. All his life, he has had to share things with Jace, with Izzy, to let them do whatever they wanted, to let Maryse and Robert decide everything for him, prioritize things for him. All the things he had experienced last night and this morning, these were memories that he had solely for himself. He decided that he wanted to keep them; they would be tucked in that secret place in his heart and soul, the soul of a man who knew exactly what he wanted..but who could never act on his feelings, no matter how much he might want to.**

"Oh Alec." Maryse whispered, no one heard her.

**"Yes," Magnus said. "It can be done."**

**Alec shook his head, "No, that's okay. Given the past experience with Valak and memories, I just don't want to mess with them. I am fine with keeping them, Magnus." Magnus gave him a warm look just then, and a sense of happiness filled Alec's heart.**

**"But i really DO need to get going," he added, apologetically.**

**He looked across the room to Magnus, who was still gazing at him. He was leaning against the wall closest to the balcony, and the warm sun filtered in. They appeared to make Magnus glow, and the sun seemed to make Magnus's eyes appear a brilliant warm amber color.**

**It was mesmerizing.**

"That's so cute." Lydia said as the other girls in the theater 'awwed' quietly.

**Alec felt an incredibly surge of warmth gazing upon that. Before he knew it, he had strode across the room where Magnus was, and his lips were on Magnus's cheek, warm and sweet. In fact, in his haste, he had misjudged the distance, and his lips had fallen almost along the edge of the Warlock's mouth, in fact so close he could smell the pancake and strawberries they had eaten earlier.**

"Look at you, and you said you could never act on those feelings." Jace said with a smile on his face. Izzy was also fangirling in the background making Alec's cheeks flush.

**His cheeks burned.**

**_He hadn't meant to do *that*, it just *happened*._ **

**So what *happened*, Alec? he berated himself. Did you just trip, and just happened to *fall* onto Magnus's face?** **_Kinda like this morning, huh,_ ** **he thought wryly. He pulled his face away. He could not look at Magnus right at that moment.**

"Only Alec would call tripping and falling onto a person's face kissing." Clary said making some laugh.

**Magnus appeared to freeze for a moment, just staring at Alec with a unreadable expression on his face. It slowly turned into a smile as bright as the sun. "Oh, get going, Shadowhunter," he stated in a playful voice, pushing Alec's shoulder back silghtly with one hand, letting him off the hook. "You are already late."**

**Alec, grateful for the out, smiled quickly at him. He opened the door of the loft, and ran out.**

**Magnus's smile widened as he just remained standing where he was.**

**"Oh Alexander," he sighed. "You are going to be the** **_death_ ** **of me."**

"How is my brother going to be the death of you?" Max asked. "He's too adorable for his own good." Magnus replied with no hesitation what so ever. Alec's face got brighter at the warlock's words, can't believing that he actually called him adorable.

**Alec ran quickly through the park, and pushed the Institute Doors open. Thank goodness he had made it by 9am on the dot -- this was technically the start of the day. Normally he and the other Shadowhunters preferred to get in around 5am so they could practice sparring, plan out their schedules, and then get some breakfast before starting the day.**

**Well, he definitely missed the sparring portion of the morning, but maybe he could grab Jace later. He walked toward the huge LCD screens in the main part of the Ops Room, where his sister Isabelle was already scoping out the terrain on screens.**

**"Someone's a bit late this morning," Izzy stated in a singsong voice full of innuendos. "Sleep well?"**

**"We didn't do much sleeping," muttered Alec, then he flushed a bright red, "No-- I didn't mean it like *that*". Izzy was this close to cracking up -- man Alec totally walked into that one.**

"Yes you did." Simon said having people shush him again. 

**"Oh *really*," Izzy stated, smirking.**

**""Magnus made cocktails," Alec said, simply, shrugging.**

**"Oh okay," Isabelle said, grinning, deciding to let her brother off the hook. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed sparkles at the edge of Alec's ear. She leaned over and flicked Alec's hair.**

**"Hey!" he protested.**

**"Nice adornments," Izzy hummed. Alec looked in horror as gold flakes started raining down around his shoulders. "Gold glitter, huh?"**

"Glitter?" Clary asked with a smirk on her face.

**Aw shit...Alec thought, flushing. "So it was *that* type of party, huh, big brother? You're really not supposed to get it in the hair, it's usually the hardest to wash out," Izzy deadpanned, smirking.**

Almost everyone in the theater was laughing and because of that Alec was sitting there with his face flushed red from embarrassment. Alec heard a snort above him and saw Magnus trying to contain his laughing. "Don't laugh." Alec said with a pout on his face. Magnus looked down at Alec with a hand over his mouth, trying to stop sounds from coming through. "I'm not." The warlock responded, while stifling his laughter. "Stop laughing." Alec said, pushing the warlock's shoulder lightly.

**Alec's eyes widened, "Izzy! That was a horrible joke! Ugh. And no, it was nothing like that. I was there helping Magnus to save Luke, that's it!"**

**"Oh was that all," Izzy mused suggestively, her dark eyes twinkling. "So tell me then, how did the glitter get in your hair?" She walked around him, and squealed. "Ooh theres some on the back of your neck too! And the back of your pants...damn Alec, you never told me how *wild* you were."**

"How did glitter even get in to those places." Alec whined; Magnus softly laughing beside him.

**"W-what?!" Alec stated, suddenly apprehensive. He had run through New York City, with glitter all over his hair and behind? Ugh, he couldnt' go to the Ops meetings covered in glitter. He needed to go change! "Gotta go," he said, cheeks burning, as he turned to go down the hallway to his room. He could hear Izzy cracking up in the distance.**

**Later that morning, when Alec walked into the Ops meeting with a fresh black buttondown, and his hair free of glitter, Magnus Bane is sitting at the conference table, in the seat closest to the door. Magnus gives him a *wink* hello. Alec looks down, not even able to catch his eyes due to the debacle earlier this morning. He keeps his eyes averted for the rest of the meeting.**

**Izzy, briefly looking from Magnus to Alec and then back to Magnus again, is grinning like the Cheshire cat.**

**She hoped that at some point this would be resolved. They were both just so cute together...**

"Well I think that this is my favorite story so far." Isabelle declared with Lydia and Clary nodding their heads behind her.

"That story was humiliating and mortifying." Alec mumbled in to Magnus's chest causing the warlock to laugh. "It wasn't that bad Alexander." Magnus said to the shadowhunter. Alec just continuing to whine, much to the warlock's amusement.

"Ok seeing as that you guys have been watching videos and reading stories non-stop, I've decided that we are going to take a break for a while." I said to the crowd, snapping my fingers. "If you look in the back of the theater you would notice that I just put rooms back there." The crowd turned around to see that I was in fact right. "You guys are welcomed to sleep in any room you want, each room has enough beds for 6 people." I said before going to my own quarters. Magnus turned to Alec about to ask him which room he wants, but to his surprise the shadowhunter is already asleep.

Magnus just decides to pick up Alec and bunk with his friends and siblings, minus Max because he is sleeping with his parents.

Once Magnus enters the room he puts Alec on the bed and lays next to him, thinking about what would happen tomorrow before going off into sleep.  
  
  
  



	9. Creatures of Edom (Pt.1)

When Alec woke up the first thin he saw was darkness. Even though it was dark, it was warm and that was enough to keep Alec in bed. The warmth was wrapped all around him, but the place where the warmth mostly is is his back. It actually felt like a warm brick wall. It was firm, but not to hard, it is also very warm. Like super ultra warm. Alec went and snuggled into the warmth and was shocked when something gripped him tighter around his torso. The shadowhunter turned and black hair tipped with a magenta color. He looked slightly down and saw a face, a really pretty face full of makeup. A very male like face.

Alec jumped back as if he got burned when he realized what or rather who was wrapped around him. He jumped so far that he fell of the bed and woke up the others in the room.

"Alec are you ok?" Jace asked rushing to the floor to get, but surprisingly(not) Magnus beat him to it. His arm was once again wrapped around the shadowhunter, but this time on his waist.

Alec blushed, really not knowing how to react to the action. "Are you ok Alexander?" Magnus asked checking Alec's arms, legs, back and torso for any kind of bruising or injury. "Yes, I-I'm fine." He stuttered out to warlock. "You just startled me, I didn't know I was in the bed with anyone." He said sheepishly.

Izzy snorted at his wording, causing Clary to giggle and Jace to smirk. Simon just sat on his bed with a self- satisfied smile.

"It's not funny." The eldest Lightwood said with a pout on his face. Magnus tried his best not to 'aww' at the young man's actions. 

"Come on, I believe that everyone is awake now. We should go back out to the theater and see what our hose has in store for us." The warlock then got up and offered a hand to Alec. Alec hesitantly grabbed his hand and followed him out of the room, his friends and siblings trailing after them.

Once thy got out there, there was already papers on their seats for the story and everyone else was already out their rooms. When they sat down Alec got teased by Max. He was asking how was it like to sleep next to the love of your life for the first time. Before Alec got the chance to answer I came back down with the story in hand getting ready to read.

"What we are going to read today is called 'Monster Charmer' by FallenQueen2/RisingQueen2"

**"So do you want to remind me why exactly we are spending date night in the sewers of New York?" Alec wrinkled his nose as he lifted his boot out of a patch of something slimly as he held his witch light higher.  
**

A coupe of people snorted, some were appalled and some were shocked that Magnus actually took Alec for a date in the sewers. "I've never thought that I would have a date there." Magnus said. "Maybe I really needed to get or do something." The warlock said to Alec. The shadowhunter just gave him a nervous smile and went back to reading the story.

**"I heard rumours and I thought an adventure with my beautiful Angel sounded like a good idea," Magnus said as he ducked into the beam of light to squint at something on the small sidewalk that lined the sewer channel.  
**

"An adventure?" Izzy said, as if trying the words on her tongue for the first time. "What kind of adventure is there in a sewer?" Clary asked the blonde next to her. "I guess we're about to find out." Her cousin said with a weird expression.

**"I think our definition of adventure differ," Alec muttered as he sidestepped a pool of murky water.**

**"What are we even looking for anyways?"**

**"Oh it's something of an urban legend you see," Magnus said as he fell back a few steps to lace his fingers together with Alec's free one.**

"Isn't that a mundane thing?" Alec asked.

**"Urban Legend? Is that a mundane thing? We both know all the legends are true," Alec raised an eyebrow and Magnus kissed his cheek fondly.**

"Oh." The hazel eyes man said when he said the same thing in the story.

**"Something like that sweetheart, well I heard that in the sewers of New York that one day a poor little alligator was flushed down the toilet and he to this very day lives in this sewer, eating whoever dares to come down into his lair." Magnus put on his best spooky voice as he leaned against Alec's side as the two made their way down the length of the sewer.  
**

"Ewww." A couple of kids and adults said.

"That poor alligator." Simon said. He always loved animals, well the thought of animals. The pointy teeth and claws kind of scare the shit out of him.

"An alligator?" Both of Alec's eyebrows rose and his voice took on an unimpressed tone.

**"Yes, and I so happen am running short of alligator scales sooo two birds with one stone as they say," Magnus said with a smile on his lips that only widened when Alec leaned down and kissed him.**

"Told you I might've needed something." Magnus said, giving a smile to Alec. The younger man gave him an unimpressed look and went back to reading the story.

**"You're lucky I love you," Alec said teasingly.**

**"Aren't I just?" Magnus smiled just as teasingly and leaned up for another kiss when a sudden splashing noise echoed in the sewer.**

**"I thought you said it was just an urban legend?" Alec whispered as he stared at the bubbling sewer water and Magnus let his magic flow to his fingers as he turned to face a giant, demonic-looking alligator rise from the water.**

"Of course the alligator had to be a demon, of fucking course." Clary said, throwing her hands up in the air. She's about done with the shadow-world at this point. Izzy and Jace were just laughing at her behavior.

**"So not a normal alligator then?" Alec tossed his witch light down and un-glamoured his bow and quiver.**

**"A demon from Edom in this case," Magnus held his hands up in a defensive position as the demonic alligator stared at them unmoving. Its yellow eyes flickered over Magnus before settling on Alec who was notching an arrow.**

**"Alexander!" Magnus shouted before he grunted as he was sent flying by the alligator's wide tail.**

"If you get my parabatai killed Magnus so help me." Jace said before Clary told him to calm the fuck down.

**"Magnus!" Alec's voice echoed in the sewer before he twisted around to come face to face with the alligator. Alec held his breath as the demon breathed its horrid breath over his face and didn't make a move as he wanted to keep his head.**

**"Gross," Alec grunted as he squeezed his eyes closed as the alligator's wet and rough tongue swiped over his face and his hair in a loving lick.**

"Wait what?" Alec asked.

"I'm officially confused." Simon said, voicing the thought that other had.

**"Er, um thank you?" Alec said in confusion and lifted one of his hands and awkwardly patted the scaly snout.  
**

"Really, just like that?" Izzy asked. "I'm just about to leave, I mean what's happening?"

**"Ah, good boy?" Alec offered and bit back a laugh of disbelief when the demonic alligator all but purred and licked his face again before he sank back into the sewer water and everything wen still and quiet again.**

"This is so weird." Simon whispered.

**"Will wonders ever cease with you my Alexander?" Magnus said as he walked back to Alec whose hair was still sticking up thanks to the salvia.**

**"Magnus are you okay?" Alec began to fuss but Magnus just patted his hand with a loving smile on his face.**

**"I'm fine sweetheart, are you alright?" Magnus was biting back a snicker at the way Alec's hair was sticking up.**

**"I think so? Mostly confused and a bit relieved... No more sewer adventures on date night okay?" Alec suggested and Magnus laughed and curled their arms together again but avoided the salvia on Alec's face.**

**"I promise you, monster charmer, you," Magnus teased before laughing when Alec moaned while rolling his eyes.**

"Hmm, that was a weird story." Lydia said.

"It was indeed." Ragnor said, trying to figure out the meaning of the story.

"Don't worry about it if don't know what it means." I said, making some of the crowd jump. "The next couple of stories will have the same theme and you guys are going to have to figure it out." I said as I went back to my little corner of the theater.

'Seeing them struggle and figure this out is gonna be so much fun.' I thought to myself as I am trying to choose the next story. 'Really fun.'


	10. Creatures of Edom Pt.2

"Ok, I have decided to show you guys a part of the story we are gonna read." I said to the crowd.

There were many faces of confusion, for what I don't know.

"Why aren't we going to read the full story?" Clary asked, causing others to nod their heads in agreement.

I felt my face start to heat up, due to this I got even more confused faces from the crowd. "It's, um because Alec is really-kinda, he is-um." I wiped the sweat from my brow and avoided eye contact with everyone in the room. "God why is this so difficult?" I scream, causing everyone to flinch at my outburst. "It's just because we really only have to focus on one part of the story." I said in a rush. "We really don't need to read anything else."

With my face still bright red, I snapped my fingers and gave everyone a copy of the story we are gonna read.

"The story is called 'Further Consequences' by RisingQueen2(FallenQueen2)." I said as I went back to my seat.

**Alec froze and slowly raised his head up when he heard a low growl. He turned his head slowly and came face to face with demonic red eyes in a surprisingly cute black furry face, Alec blinked a few times as the growl turned into a purr.**

"What?" Almost everyone in the crowd questioned.

"I feel so confused." Maryse said as she rubbed her temple. Izzy turned to her mom and gave her a smile, happy that she is becoming more comfortable with the stories and videos that they are reacting to. Maryse saw the smile that her daughter gave her and was glad that she was able to get such a thing from Izzy, especially with how hard she has been on her lately.

**"Hello there." Alec spoke quietly not wanting to startle the small mass of fur and red eyes that was sitting in the space between his legs.**

**"You're just a puppy aren't you?" Alec couldn't help the coo that escaped him as he slowly held up his right hand. He waited until the demon dog sniffed him and nuzzled its head against his palm and licked his offered skin.**

"Wow, how did he domesticate a demon dog, a hell hound, an Edom mutt, whatever the hell you want to call it?" Clary asked as she looked at the paper in her hands with disbelief. Isabelle gave the red-head a look of sympathy,"Don't worry Clary, once you start going out more almost nothing will surprise you." She said as she rubbed the back of Clary's back with the intent of comforting her.

**"Alexander dear! Alec do not move an inch." Magnus' tone went from happy to concerned and deadly the moment he entered the room seeing a obvious hellhound puppy getting pets from his obvious Alexander.**

"I just loved how he called you his Alec." Izzy said in a teasing tone, making Alec's face go 5 different shades of red in 0.6 seconds.

"Yeah, he's basically saying he's yours and nothing or no one's gonna take you away." Clary said, joining her best friend with the teasing.

"With consent I hope, because if not we're going to have a problem." Jace said in a menacing voice, eyes narrowed at the warlock.

Magnus flinched at the young Herondale's words, not that he was threaten by Jace, furthest from that actually. He was threatened by the shadowhunters and downworlders that has gotten to trust and like Alexander more and more. It's not that Magnus would intentionally harm Alec, it was more of he doesn't want to harm him on accident and even if it wouldn't seem he was harming him, it most defiantly wouldn't be the same to the shadowhunters that still dislike him and others like him.

The warlock gave a slow nod and looked at Jace with one of his best award-winning grins. "Please, as if I wouldn't do anything without my sayang's permission,"He said as he wrapped his arms around Alec, causing the shadowhunter to jump at the unexpected contact,"exactly how bad do you think of me?" Magnus asked Jace with his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Well from the rumors I've heard you are nothing but a slimy, sleezy douche that doesn't look for anything else besides a good time." The blonde shadowhunter said with a couple of voices agreeing with his statement. "But that's what they are, rumors, you never know if they are right or wrong and hopefully for you they better be wrong." He said, causing Simon, Clary, Alec, Izzy **AND** Maryse to roll their eyes. They know how bad if a drama-queen Jace can be, especially when it comes to his parabatai. They all know that he knows that Magnus isn't the bad man other people say he is, with all of the stories and videos they reacted to how could they?

**"She's so precious, can we keep her?" Alec looked up as the hellhound curled up in his arms while purring with contentment.  
**

"Wow, you are really persistent about keeping this demon dog. Aren't you supposed to hunt any and everything that is a demon." Magnus commented as he read the next line. Alec whined at the words and started to pout, "I can't help it, and plus, the things I usually hunt are hideous and evil, not cute, adorable, precious puppies." He said, causing Magnus to laugh at his childish behavior. "You're just too precious for this world Alexander." The warlock said with a soft smile.

Alec blushed at this and buried his head into the side of Magnus's shoulder, his breathe tickling the man's collarbone. "Don't say things like that out of the blue," he mumbled into the warlock's shoulder, "it's embarrassing."

Magnus decided to ignore the young man's words and started to pet his hair, which was fluffy as fuck, which surprised Magnus because the Institute provides all of the shadowhunters the same soap and shampoo. If this is how soft Alec's hair is without proper hair treatment, imagine how it would be when Magnus is done with it. The warlock's eyes practically shined with all of the possibilities.

**"Darling this is a hellhound pup from Edom itself." Magnus hoped his lover could see reason.  
**

"He won't." Max said to the warlock next to his brother. "Izzy said one time Alec saw a baby duck all alone and tried to look for its Momma, **in the middle of a mission**." The youngest Lightwood said, emphasizing on the last six words. "Her and Jace had to drag him away and remind him why they were out of the Institute in the first place." Magnus snorted at the unshared memory, with many of the people near him doing the same.

Alec's face as flushed as he turned around to look at his sister, who was whistling innocently as if nothing happened. "You promised me you would keep it a secret." He said, causing his sister to look at him. "Did I?" She asked in mock confusion. "I don't remember making such a promise." Alec groaned at his sister actions and turned out, not wanting to deal with her nonsense at the moment.

**"She's too cute to hurt us right baby? Isn't that right girl? You're too cute to hurt us!" Alec crooned at the hellhound as he rubbed her ears and she purred as her tail wagged happily.**

**"Dear god you've domesticated a hellhound." Magnus covered his face with a hand in disbelief and his eyes narrowed when a piece of paper he knew wasn't there before. Alec was busy fussing over the hellhound so Magnus snatched the paper and his eyes narrowed, as his cat eyes appeared when he recognized the language and the signature.**

"Well that's not good." Ragnor said as he remembered all the times Magnus lost control of his cat eyes.

**~Your chosen has passed his test quite bloodily I might add. I'm impressed son of mine and I hope I can make it up to my future son in law with this hellhound pup; she will stay loyal to him unless you order her otherwise.**

**Asmodeus ~**

"ASMODEUS?!?!?" Everyone in the theater shouted. Magnus backed up away from Alec, not wanting to see the shadowhunter's hatred towards him, not wanting to see the man he got to love behave such a cold way towards him, he can't go through this kind of heart ache again, especially with a man he thought loved all of him.

Alec turned to look at Magnus, to comfort him but was shocked once he saw the expression of terror across his face. He wanted to comfort the warlock, wants to make sure that he knows that he doesn't care about his heritage, that he loves Magnus Bane for being Magnus Bane.

**Magnus let the paper flare up in fire not wanting Alec to see it, his anger disappeared when Alec's soft questioning of his name made him look up. Alec was looking at him with concern that was surprisingly mirrored on the hellhounds face as well.**

**"I'm fine darling, I was just wondering what you wanted to name her?" Magnus recovered smoothly as he slid into bed to cuddle his Alexander and their new addition. Alec blushed and looked down at the hellhound with a shy look on his face.**

**"I was thinking Grace." Alec admitted and Magnus almost laughed at the irony of naming a hellhound after something it is said Angel's possessed. That was his Alexander for you however.**

**"That's a wonderful name Alexander. Welcome to the family Grace." Magnus kissed his lovers lips before petting Grace's head glad when the hellhound purr just like she did for Alec and licked his palm lovingly.**

**Well what was one more Downworlder to add to his family?**

Everyone was still too shocked to react, everyone but one(the only shadowhunter anyway), Alec.

Before Alec got to say anything to Magnus a video started to play on the screen.

Magnus was shocked to see that Alec's reaction to his father was so minimum, but then he thought that he could've just been lying, just trying to deceive him so when the time comes he can strike him down like many of his lovers and shadowhunters has tried to do.

Everyone else on the other hand also thought the same thing. How could you have a reaction like that when you find out your lover's father is the strongest prince of hell? You should at least have a mini freak out, hell you should be screaming and running for the next state.

Alec still stood by his reaction on screen. Sure, Magnus has an evil father, it doesn't mean he's evil too. All warlocks have a demon parent, so why would Alec's opinion change if he found out who the demon parent was.

"Wow," Alec said, directing his attention to Lorenzo,"you really are an ass."

"Really that's all you have to say?" Magnus asked the shadowhunter, face full of disbelief.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked, not understanding what he was being asked.

"You find out that my father is Asmodeus, the greatest prince of hell, and all you have to react towards it is Lorenzo being an ass." Magnus stated, trying to blink back the tears in his eyes. Alec saw this and immediately brought Magnus's face close to his own, making the warlock flinch at the sudden movement. "I stay by with what I said," Alec bringing his hand to side of Magnus's face, the warlock instinctively leaning into it, "I don't care who your father is, I care who you are and you are the furthest thing from a greater demon." Magnus cried. He cried and cried and cried. Having those words repeated to him made him so happy, happy that there really is a person in the world that loves all of him, freaky flaws and all.

Maybe there is a bright future for him to look forwards too.

**A/N(Sorry I was watching Monster High with my sister, and now I have their theme stuck in my head.) Also sorry for not updating for like 2 weeks, I want on a baking spree. I don't know why, but now I have like 15 cupcakes and 2 cakes left over plus banana bread.**


	11. Malec Moments Pt.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like the earliest I've ever published after I just posted a chapter.

After that sob-fest died down I decided to tell Magnus and the others what we were going to react to today. I actually almost didn't want to disturb them because of how cute Magnus looked with Alec's arms wrapped around him. After thinking about what to do, I got my phone out to take a picture, but stopped when I heard a quiet shuttering sound below me.

I looked down and saw Isabelle taking pictures of her brother and his beau. Once she finished she looked up at me and gave me a thumbs up. How is she always one step ahead of me? Izzy pointed to her phone and did the universal number sign with her fingers, realizing that she wanted my number I snapped my fingers and the Lightwood's phone buzzed. She looked through her phone and saw my number and immediately saved it to her contacts, with me doing the same, and she started to text me.

**Bad Bitch #1  
** _I saw your phone out and decided to save you the trouble 10:05  
_ _You can thank me later_ _10:05_

_Ur welcome 😏 10:07_

I turned my phone off and started to put the videos on the screen. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Izzy? Because I fucking lover her, baddest bitch I've ever met.

Deciding that I was ready to have them watch the videos I've prepared I cupped my hands around my mouth to make a mega-phone.

"Yo, get your lazy asses up so we can watch some more videos." Most of the crowd flinched, which I'm honestly not surprised at. I mean, they've been doing that since I brought them here.

"I've decided that we are going to watch another series of videos today, seeing as that we haven't done so for a while." Before I went back to my seat I looked at the crowd with a mischievous look in my eye. "Just so you know there will be a little....present for you guys at the end of these clips." I said giving them a wink, causing them to give me a look of confusion.

I snapped my fingers and the first video started to play.

"You fucking bitch!!" Izzy screamed, trying to lunge at Camille, but was held back by Clary, Lydia and Jace, who ran to where they were sitting to help.

Maryse had a plain expression, but if you were to look in her eyes you could see the burning flames of hatred inside of them.

And Camille, she just sat there with a smug smirk across her face. 

Magnus glared at Camille, she was so manipulative and conniving. She always finds a way to get the thing she wants, and it is always by using others. Such a bitch. He also learned that Isabelle is very scary when you mess with her brother.

Alec on the other hand was trying to figure out a way to get Izzy to get that blood-sucking bitch, not that that would be a problem, doing it without being caught is the problem. He saw uncomfortable it made Magnus and he wanted her to pay for it, but he knows that he has to be more mature about this, try to figure out a way to do this without breaking The Accords.

After things settled down, the crowd started to look at the screen for the next video.

"YOU TWO ARE SO FUCKING CUTE!!!!!!!!!" Izzy screeched, having people cover their ears.

"I hate to admit it, but you two do look cute together." Max grumbled, causing Madzie to give him an 'I told you so' look. **(** **A/N) If you don't understand the reference go to chapter 7, "Malec at the Orphanage".**

"You even made him blush." Lydia said, causing her friends to giggle.

"Who else think Alec told Magnus to stop working on his magic because he was shirtless?" Jace asked with a smug expression on his face. 

More than half the room raised their hands, Izzy and Simon's being the highest. Those two were basically standing on their seats.

Alec dug his face in his palms at the raised hands, with Magnus laughing at the outcome besides him. Alec peeked through his fingers when he felt the warlock staring at him, not to his surprise Magnus had a smug grin across his face. "It's not funny." Alec whined, leaning his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "Yes it is, besides, you've seen me drool over you being shirtless, it's only fair if I got to see you do the same." Magnus said, causing the shadowhunter to have a tinted pink across his cheeks. "I wasn't drooling." Alec mumbled. "Yes, you were darling. Maybe not in the video, but you were when we were reacting to the video." Magnus said, causing him to freeze. Alec had no idea that he caught that. 

"You're the worse."

"Just keep telling yourself that."

Before the two could bicker anymore, the next video came on the screen.

"When you said you went to his wedding, did you mean, I crashed your wedding, pissed off your parents and had an amazing makeout session with you?" Izzy asked, causing some of the crowd to erupt in laughter. Alec groaned at his sister's behavior, he can't go a single day with her making some kind of joke either making him feel flustered or embarrassed.

"Also what did you mean by 'I can't face Clary'?" Clary asked, causing the shadowhunter to shrug his shoulders.

"Maybe we'll find out later." Alec said, causing the Fairchild to nod at his answer.

"I just love the fact that you went to Magnus because you needed a safe place." Simon said, causing Alec's face to flush pink.

"I think it's cute too sayang." Magnus said, making the pink on Alec's face to turn to red.

"All of you are going to kill me." Alec groaned, with his boyfriend, siblings and friends laughing at his reaction.

The crowd looked to the screen and saw that another video was already ready to watch.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."Izzy sighed, causing Alec's face to erupt in flames. "That was so fucking adorable, they love each other no matter how different they are." Izzy said after she caught her breathe from that long sigh.

"They really are couple goals." Jace said, as if he's acknowledging their existence for the first time.

"I just can't believe I'm Alec's first and only ex." Lydia said, making Alec avoid eye contact with Magnus.

"Wow, I'm just shocked. Like really shocked. How can I person that looks like Alec only have 1 ex and is still a virgin?" Simon asked, causing the shadowhunter in question to groan. Jace looked a Simon with a raised eyebrow. "What, I can acknowledge a hot guy when I see one." Jace snorted at the response and went back to minding his own business.

Alec's face was cherry red due to all of the talk happening around him, Magnus saw this and wrapped his arms around the shadowhunter's waist, bringing him closer. "No need to feel embarrassed sayang." He said, causing Alec to shake his head. "You're not the one that got his entire love life infront of all of New York and the Clave." Magnus snorted at this and brought Alec's face closer to his. "Plus, all this means is that I have the chance to defile you." Alec's eyes widen, not believing what he was hearing.

Magnus leaned in closer to Alec's ear, the shadowhunter trembling at the sensation of his breathe against his ear. "I can't wait to take you apart and put you together again. Can't wait to see your beautiful pale skin against my bed sheets. Can't wait to see you cry and beg for more, for me." And with that he moved away, leaving Alec with his cheeks flushed, mouth wet and eyes dazed, he looked only moments from falling apart and felt like it too. 

Before Alec could say anything or do anything the next video started to play, and his eyes widen at the content it was showing.

"HOLY SHIT!!!!" Izzy screeched. "IT FUCKING HAPPENED, IT FINALLY FUCKING HAPPENED." Izzy turned to Clary and Lydia so fast it almost gave her whiplash. "DO YOU FUCKING SEE THIS?" Clary nodded her head so fast it looked like on of those bobbleheads. "AND ALEC WAS THE ONE WHO INITIATED IT." After the red head said that all three of the girls started to screech, with other Malec shipper joining in, including me.

"I can't believe that he got Magnus to bottom." Lydia said, causing people to snort all over the room.

"Who said anything about bottoming, I just like to cuddle." The warlock in question said, causing all of the Malec shippers to screech again.

"That was something that no mother should ever see of their child." Maryse said, causing all of the screeching to stop. "But, I can't help but think how adorable you two are." She said, causing the shippers to screech once again. 

Maryse got up, and was going to sit with her daughter, but was stopped when a hand reached out to grab her wrist. "What are you doing, this is madness." Her husband whispered, shouted. "Out of all of the people here I would've thought you would be the most concern and caution of this relationship." Maryse turned to look at her husband and yanked her wrist out of his hand. "I'm sorry to say this Robert, but my only concern was Magnus's reputation, and now that I've seen it isn't true, I have no reason to be concerned or cautious of their relationship. If you can't accept the fact that our son is happy with the man he's with then, I have no reason to longer speak to you about this subject." And with that, Maryse turned away from her husband and went to go sit wit her daughter.

"Way to go mom." Izzy said as her mother sat next to her. "Don't make a big deal of it, it was just something that needed to be done long ago. And besides the times are changing, so why shouldn't I?" Maryse said with a soft smile across her face. 

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"Not enough." Maryse snorted.

"Now isn't that cute?" Magnus asked. "I guess I'll have a better relationship with Maryse than I've originally thought." The warlock said as he turned to Alec, about to make another comment but was immediately stopped in his tracks once he saw the shadowhunter. His face was flushed red, brighter than any red Magnus has seen from his whole entire time in this theater. "I can't believe we actually did that." Alec said as he dug his face into the warlock chest.

"To be fair, we haven't done it yet darling." Alec whined at his response, face getting brighter.

"And we can go at any pace you want to."

Alec looked up at the warlock with the cutest expression, and it took Magnus every fiber of magic he had to jump the boy then and there. "Promise?" The hazel eyes boy asked.

"Promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The paragraph I did before the last video is like the closest I got to ever writing smut/lemon so if the description sucks just blame my lack of experience.


	12. Jace's Reaction

"Well that was interesting to watch, wasn't it?" I asked the crowd. 

As if just to make a point that they all agreed, the Malec shippers started to screeching all over again.

"Woah, woah, woah." I said as I covered my ears. "Calm the fuck down before you burst my eardrums." Thankfully the screeching stopped.

"Ok, now that I'm 45% sure that my hearing isn't damaged," I paused as I gave all of the shipper a glare, causing them to all look sheepish and nervous, "I can tell you what we are going to react to today."

"Which is," I paused for dramatic effect, "Jace's opinion and reaction of Magnus and Alec."

The crowd looked confusion, especially the Lightwoods.

"Hey, wait a minute." Jace said as he moved his hands to the side, "Why on earth are we reacting to my opinion of Alec's relationship?"

"Because you suck at explaining and showing your emotions." I said, causing Jace to look at me with a face of disagreement. "I do not suck at showing emotions, I'm pretty sure that everyone means what I say to them without explaining." At this a lot of the shadowhunters looked nervous. "Sorry to tell you Jace, but you really aren't well at explaining." Clary said with Jace making a shocked face. "What do you mean, Izzy understands me all the time." He said as he looked at Isabelle. "Isn't that right Iz?" He asked, causing his sister to look at him with an expression that looked close to sympathy.

"I'm sorry to tell you Jace, but you suck at explaining. The only way I even understand half of the things you are trying to say is because I had to live with you for 13 years. I was forced to learn how to speak 'Jace'." Izzy said, with Clary and Alec laughing.

"Hmmph." Jace voiced as he turned back around on his chair.

"Well now that that conversation is done, why don't we get to seeing Jace's opinion." I said as I snapped my fingers, causing a video to show on the screen.

"First we are going to watch Jace talk to Magnus."

**(A/N) Ignore where Alec went to go talk Maryse.**

"Awwww, Jace." Izzy teased as she reached to the row in front of her and ruffled his hair, with Jace trying to bat her hands away from his perfect bouncy golden locks(his words not mine.)

"It's so cute that you're protective of Alec." Clary said as she tried to hold in her laughter from the scene in front of her.

"He's my brother, what do you expect me to do?" The blonde shadowhunter asked.

Before anyone can answer Simon asked,"Wait, is the Jace's version of giving the shovel talk?" Everbody laughed as they thought about this.

"Oh just shush." Jace said as he pushed Simon farther away from him.

"Rude." The future fledging shouted.

"No matter how heart-warming that was," I paused as I snapped my fingers and gave everyone a copy, " we still need to read the story."

"Now this is Jace talking to Alec about his relationship with Magnus." I said as I went back to my seat. "Also the story is called 'Stupid, Not Oblivious' by fancyachatup."

**Jace may be stupid, but he was not oblivious, and the way Alec was acting today was highly suspicious and could only be the result of one thing. Magnus. So he feigned innocence and proceeded to follow Alec around the Institute before trapping him in his own office. Alec was none the wiser to the impending interrogation, and sat at his desk, unprepared for what was coming.  
**

"Well unlike the other stories we have read so far this one comes off as really strong." Izzy commented as she read the first paragraph. There was voices of agreement all over the theater.

**"So, what'd he do?" Jace asked casually, plopping onto one of the chairs on the other side of Alec's desk. Alec startled, seeming to come out of his own world**

**"What?" Alec stuttered out, running a nervous hand through his hair.**

**"Who? No one did anything, Jace." He said as he bit his lip, which was Alec's tell that he was hiding something. Not to mention that Jace could feel Alec's nerves through the bond.**

"Don't even try to hide it Alec, Jace will find out anyway." Izzy said as she remembered all the times that Jace has saw through Alec with and without their parabatai bond.

Alec huffed at this knowing that his sister is right.

**"C'mon Alec. We're Parabatai, we can each other anything" Jace leant over to clap a hand on in Alec's back before sitting back down, "So, what did Magnus do?" For a moment, Alec looked startled (and slightly ashamed?) but relaxed when he saw that Jace was smiling at him. Jace knew it was hard for Alec to talk about his feelings, especially ones regarding Magnus.  
**

"Oh Alexander." Magnus said as he rubbed his hand on the shadowhunter's back.

**The two had been together for a few weeks by now, and Alec still retreated into himself whenever someone mentioned their relationship. Which, yeah. Jace understood. Not everyone had particularly nice things to say about it, but he did. Or, he would, if Alec gave him the chance. So he waited until Alec's self-consciousness faded into a hesitant smile that quickly transformed into a blinding one.  
**

"I think that is the only way that Jace would ever be patient." Izzy said, causing a couple of people to snort. Jace just had a look of shock on his face, such a dramatic child.

**"I, um. Well, yesterday. Last night I guess, we, uh, we took the next step?" Alec's blush was unlike anything Jace had seen before, and so was his smile. Not to mention the adoration he had in his eyes. It was surreal, to see Alec's eyes crinkle in happiness and feel just how happy Alec was through the bond.  
**

Alec blushed as he recalled the video they watched last chapter. Magnus saw this and gave the shadowhunter a sly smirk, as if he could what he was thinking. Warlocks and their stupid smirks.

**"Wait. Next step?" Jace asked, finally catching up to what Alec had said.**

**Alec ducked his head, and even though Jace didn't think that was possible, his face turned a darker shade of red.**

**He was embarrassed.**

**Which, no. Jace couldn't have that. He'd watch Alec evolve into an entirely new person in less than a month. A more confident, self-assured one, and it was all because of Magnus.**

**"They really are made for each other." Clary said without thinking about it.**

"Yes Clary, yes they are." Lydia said as she snorted at her cousin's behavior, causing the red-head to blush.

**But to realize that Alec didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to Jace about sex with his boyfriend sent a pang of horror through him. Jace talked to Alec about his sex life all the time. Hell, Alec had even walked in on him before. Sex wasn't an off-limit topic for them.  
**

"I feel so sorry for you Alexander, to walk in on such a horrible sight." Magnus said causing the shadowhunter snort and for Jace to squak at his statement. Before Jace could say something back to the warlock, Izzy saw him and hit the back of his head. "Don't you dare ruin this moment for me." She gowled, causing the blonde to flinch back.

**So why was he acting so weird about it all?**

**And then Jace felt himself grow sick to his stomach with the realization that maybe Alec thought Jace would make fun of him, or worse, be disgusted by the admission. It was an emotion that Jace had no words for. He abhorred the way Alec's calm and collected demeanor diminished slightly as the silence stretched. And it made Jace want to prove Alec's preconceived notions wrong all the more.**

"I just love the fact that Jace is trying to do everything he can think of to get through to Alec that he doesn't care that he's dating a man and is in fact supporting it." Clary said with multiple people agreeing with her.

**"That's good right? I mean, that's a big deal Alec." Jace said. It may not have been the best response, but Alec relaxed slightly in response to it.**

**"I- yeah." Alec responded, still blushing but more confident in his answers now that he Jace wasn't going to run for the hills.**

"Why do I feel like it's only going to get even more awkward from now on?" Catarina asked as she read the last sentence.

"Because it's Alec, he makes everything awkward." Izzy snorted at Clary's response.

"I find that really offensive." Alec said with a pout. "You really shouldn't, you're so adorable when you get awkward. It just makes me want to devour you right then and there." Magnus said with a smirk that turned Alec into a stuttering mess.

"Does he realize he just proved Magnus's point?" Izzy whispers to her mom. "Most likely not." Maryse whispered back.

**"And it was...good?" Jace asked hesitantly. Alec stared down at the desk, nodding his head slightly. This was all uncharted territory, him and Alec discussing Alec's sex life. "He treats you right?"  
**

"I mean he hasn't had a sex life before, so it makes sense." Simon comments, making Izzy chuckle. "He's not wrong you know." Izzy said as she looked at her older brother. "Just be quiet." Alec whined. "Please."

**Alec snapped his head back up to meet Jace's gaze, a fiery look in his eyes that Jace recognized from whenever Alec defended Isabelle from their parents.  
**

Maryse looked down at this, disappointed at herself for making such mistakes. Izzy saw this and went to hug her mother, giving her a comforting look which told her she did nothing wrong. 

"All it means is that Alec is confident, nothing else." Izzy said as she gave her mom a soft smile. 'I'm really lucky to have a daughter like that.' Maryse thought as she squeezed her daughter even tighter.

**"Magnus is a good person, Jace. He's thoughtful and caring, and he's always in tune with my emotions. He's good to me and he's good for me. He respects me and- by the angel- he's...he is amazing."  
**

"I feel so flattered Alexander. To know that you think of me in such a way." Magnus said sincerely as he grabbed the shadowhunter's hand. Alec smiled when he felt his hand in his own, and gripped it tightly, not wanting to let go, to never let go.

**When he was done, Alec was slightly out of breath, having gotten up from his seat to pace around.**

**"Good. That's good. All I've ever wanted for you to find someone who takes care of you the way you're always taking care of us," Jace said, holding his hands up in front of him to communicate that he wasn't a threat to him or Magnus. Alec stopped his pacing, and Jace stood up slowly, walking over to where he was standing in the middle of his office.**

**"You deserve nothing but the best, Alec, and I'm glad that Magnus is, apparently, the best," Jace said seriously, but changed his tone into a more teasing one, "After all, it'd be kind of awkward for me to tell the High Warlock of Brooklyn that he needs to step up his game with my Parabatai."**

Many people snorted at this.

**Alec snorted and rolled his eyes, but it was unmistakable, the relief in his eyes. He could feel it in their bond too, the way Alec reacted to his acceptance of his and Magnus' relationship. There was something else though, something that he could see and feel, and it was that Alec had more to share.  
**

"Awwwwwwwww." The crowd sighed softly.

**"Go for it, buddy. You've spent years listening to me bitch about all of my one night stands. The least I could do is lend an ear while you talk about your first time with the love of your life." Jace said while he waggled his eyebrows.  
**

Izzy sat up in her seat when she read this, "Oh, I can't wait to read about this!!", she exclaimed. Maryse sighed at her daughter's behavior and suddenly started to feel sorry for Alec. Izzy's gonna bug the poor boy until he gives her all of the 'deets', as she likes to call it, about his sex life.

**And just like that, Alec transformed into a lovestruck teenage girl. He was waxing poetic about Magnus' amazing abs and beautiful biceps. And, yeah Jace loved his Parabatai, but it didn't mean he wanted to learn all about Magnus' bedroom capabilities. Thankfully, Alec was keeping it PG, so Jace was able to make good on his promise.  
**

Alec blushed at this as he heard snorting all over the theater. He could also practically feel Magnus making a smug smirk in his direction. 

"So you're a muscle kind of guy, aren't you big bro?" Izzy asked in a teasing tone.

Alec hid his face back into his hands, not wanting to face anyone. It's not his fault Magnus has ridiculously good muscles.

**"I, um...he showed me his Warlock Mark." Alec confessed as he sat on the edge of his desk.**

**"Really?" Jace's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. There were two things Valentine had taught him about Warlocks. (Well, there's a lot Valentine had told him about Warlocks, and they were far from kind. But Jace chose to not remember any of the bigoted and hateful lies he'd spoken about their kind and instead focus on the facts.)**

"Lying bastard." Ragnor whispered as soon as Valentine got mentioned.

**One, was that a Warlock would never reveal their true age, no matter the circumstance or person. The other, was that their marks were incredibly personal, and heavily guarded. Sure, some chose to display theirs in an attempt to show their power, but those were typically the kinds of people who had Marks that weren't easy to glamor. It was even more rare for Warlocks to show their Marks to anyone other than their own people, especially Shadowhunters.  
**

"Besides the young Lightwood it seems." Ragnor teased, surprisingly making the warlock next to the mentioned shadowhunter blush.

"Have I mentioned how much I despise you?" Magnus asked with a groan.

"Almost everyday my friend."

**Jace had known for a fact that it had taken the Clave centuries to discover Magnus' cat eyes. The minute Alec had kissed the other man, Jace had pulled up any and all records the Clave had on him, wanting to know what kind of person he was. Of course, all of the information and documentation were proven to be nothing but lies and slander, but he'd still seen Magnus' real eyes.  
**

"Jace is honestly surprisingly protective." Clary whispered to Isabelle.

"If you think he's protective now, just wait til' someone talks shit about Alec." She whispered back to the red-head.

**There was only one photo in which Magnus had his Mark showing, and it was a fairly recent one, taken right after Valentine's supposed death, and Jace had the sneaking suspicion that Magnus had left them purposefully unglamored.  
**

At this paragraph Cat, Ragnor and Raphael all coughed, causing Magnus to give them a pointed look. And they call him dramatic, hmmph.

**"They're beautiful," Alec sighed wistfully.  
**

Magnus smiled at this, he's happy to finally have a lover that excepts all of him, including all of his weird flaws.

**"Oh yeah?" Jace chuckled. He'd never seen Alec look like a lovestruck teenager. Man oh man was his Parabatai whipped. "What was the big reveal like? Did he brag about inspiring the Renaissance Era again?"**

**Alec's brows furrowed and he purses his lips. "No, it was an accident. He thought I'd be afraid of them. Or disgusted or something."**

"All of my other lovers were either disgusted or tried to act like it didn't bother them. I didn't think I would ever find someone that loves me. All of me." Magnus said as he looked at Alec.

"Well lucky for you I'm not any of your old lovers and I'll be happy to accept anything you throw at me." The shadowhunter said as he grabbed the warlock's hand. Magnus put his head on Alec's shoulder and continues to read the story.

**"How does an all powerful Warlock accidentally show you his Mark?" Jace was bewildered. He'd read about how powerful Magnus was, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how a High Warlock could accidentally reveal something as special as his Mark.**

**Alec blushed bright red again, the tips of his ears burning.**

"We all know how that happened." Izzy said, making the crowd laugh.

Alec whined again, can't believing that Izzy could be so cruel.

**"You know what? I don't wanna know." Jace said as he made his way out the door.**

**He paused in the doorframe and turned back. "Hey Alec?"**

**"Yeah?" Alec was back at his desk.**

**"I'm really glad you found Magnus."**

**The pulse of elation he felt through the bond was more than enough proof that Magnus and Alec were meant to be.**

"That was such a cute ending." Lydia said, causing Izzy, Clary and Maryse to nod. "It was nice to see Jace be so supportive with Alec's relationship, he was even willing to step out of his comfort zone to make sure Alec knows." Maryse said with Izzy nodding along. 

"So basically the point of this story is, Jace isn't an idiot when it comes to Alec's sex life." Izzy said with a laugh.

"Isabelle!!" Maryse screamed and Alec whined.

"What," she shrugged her shoulders,"it's the truth."

"You're the worst." Jace groaned.

"Just trying to make you have a good rep." 

"How are we related again?"


	13. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it's weird.

Just before Izzy says something to Jace I decide to pop in and tell them what they're doing next.

"We are going to watch another video and then read a story afterwards." I said to the crowd. "But instead of the story being something that will happen, it will be something that won't happen." The crowd looked at me with faces of confusion.   
  
"The why are we reading it?" Clary asked.

"So that you will now the outcome of the situation if this was true." I said confusing the crowd even more. "Why are you being so coy about this?" Jace asked, fed up with all of this. "Because I can." I said, enjoying the pissed expression on the Herondale's face.

"Now onto the video." I said as I snapped my fingers, putting it on the screen.

"Alec, sweetheart." Maryse said gaining the flustered shadowhunter's attention. "You are literally thinking if you overthink things or not." She said causing his siblings and Clary to laugh. Magnus was too, but only he was trying to control them and ended up failing, causing Alec to look at him with a face full of betrayal. "It's not funny." The young man said with a pout, making the warlock laugh more. "I'm sorry for laughing darling, but the situation is in fact hilarious." He said causing Alec to shove him playfully.

"Ok besides Alec obliviousness," Clary said causing Alec to shout a 'hey', "Can we just say how great of a sister Izzy is?" The red-head asked making the girl mentioned to direct her attention to her friend. "I mean unlike others would she isn't really prying into his sex life, she's being careful and considerate. She's giving the advice Alec honestly needs, and is not telling him anything that could tip him off or give up on his attempt entirely. She's not pressuring him or telling him to back down, she's just helping him with his decision to go all the way with Magnus or not."

"Isabelle's always been like this. Never pressuring unless she needs to be or inconsiderate. And especially to her siblings." Maryse said, adding along to Clary's thoughts.

Izzy looked at her friend and mom with flushed cheeks. "You don't need to say all that." She said, hoping that they would just drop it. "But it's true." Alec said, getting out of his flustered daze. "All you've ever done was support me. You've never judged me for the people I liked or for the decisions I made, instead you tried to help me. If it wasn't for you I probably never would've gotten with Magnus, and I probably would've never realized how I felt about him." Alec said as he grabbed his boyfriend's hand, squeezing it gently. "And when I did realize, it would've probably be too late." Izzy looked at her brother with tears in her eyes, happy that she made such a wonderful impact in his life.

The Lightwood started to fan her eyes, realizing her tears were about to fall. "You're going to make me mess up my makeup." She said causing her friends and family to laugh. "I'm being serious guys, I'm not going to be able to fix it if I mess it up now." That only made them laugh more. "Guys really."

After few minutes her family started to calm down, her friends eventually doing the same.

I wiped my eyes when it was over. What? You can't judge me, it was really sweet.

"Now that that's over let's get on with the story." I said as I snapped my fingers and gave everyone a copy of the fanfic. "Also in this story Alec will have something he doesn't have and never will have." I said making the crowd looking at me with a 'i'm done with this shit' face.

"Today the story is 'Practice Makes Perfect' by ithilien22." I said to the crowd as I began to read the first paragraph.

**Alec's stomach is in a knot. He's been pacing outside of his sister's door for nearly twenty minutes now, but he can't seem to make himself open it. Several times he's actually given up and decided to leave, but he never quite makes it to the end of the hallway before shaking his head and forcing himself to come back. She's the only person he can ask, and he knows she won't make fun of him. _Well, at least not much_ , he thinks.  
**

"Well this is different." Clary commented.

**He hopes.**

**One thing is certain, though; he can't keep doing this all day. He's on patrol in less than an hour, so if he's going to do something, it needs to be now. He takes a deep, steadying breath, and finally knocks a few sharp taps on the heavy door. Then, after waiting another few moments, he lets himself inside.**

**Isabelle is lying on her stomach on her bed, engrossed in a rather daunting looking anatomy book. She smiles when she sees Alec, immediately closing the book and sitting up.**

**"Mission?" she asks, already swinging her feet off the edge of the bed in excitement.**

**"Uh no, sorry," Alec responds, twisting his hands together nervously. Isabelle sinks back down onto the bed, eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity or confusion, Alec's not sure. "I just wanted to- I, um. Could we talk?"**

"Alec seems really nervous." Lydia said with Clary nodding her head next to the blonde. "I know right. It's been bugging me, I've been trying to think of what could make him this nervous." The red-head said to her cousin.

**Now Isabelle looks worried. She shifts over a bit to make room for Alec to sit next to her. He hesitates, but after a moment he joins her on the bed.  
**

"You know something is off with Alec if I'm that worried." Izzy said as she read the first sentence.

**"What's wrong?" Isabelle asks him, voice gentle. Alec can feel the heat rising to his cheeks already. By the angel, it's so embarrassing.  
**

"Alec finds everything embarrassing, he's probably just overreacting." Jace said trying to calm his sister's and friend's nerves, but to no avail.

**"Nothing's wrong," he tries to assure her, but his voice comes out a bit shaky. He clears his throat.**

**"I just, um." He stops, starts again- "I wanted to talk to you. But it's kind of, uh. Personal."**

Izzy perked at this, knowing what the conversation will be about. Her friends were still confused so they gave her a questioning look when they saw her with a big grin spread across her face.

**Isabelle's eyes light up, but Alec can tell she's making an effort to keep too much excitement from showing on her face. He's suddenly reminded of a conversation they had a few month's ago, where Isabelle had accused him of never talking to her about his personal life.**

**He also remembers her offer, and he knows it was sincere, but even so, he sort of doubts she meant for him to talk to her about _this._**

Now Clary and Lydia were really curious.

**Despite the glint in her eye, Isabelle's tone is suspiciously neutral when she speaks again.**

**"Oh?" she asks, casually. "Did something happen with Magnus?"**

Everyone in the theater gave a huff of laughter after they figured out what the conversation would most likely be about.

**Alec fidgets with his hands some more, staring blindly at his and Isabelle's reflection in her vanity on the opposite wall. He's stalling again, and he knows it. He just can't seem to make himself look over at Isabelle directly, though. He can't talk about this and look her in the eye at the same time.**

**To be honest, he's not sure if he'll ever be able to look her in the eye again after this.**

**"Its, uh. I actually have a... _sex_ question," he finally admits, practically whispering even though they're the only two people in the room. Isabelle doesn't even try to hide her grin at his admission. She's practically beaming in the mirror's reflection.**

At this Alec's face became flushed and Magnus's and his friends laughter was ringing through out the theater.

Maryse was looking at the paper as if it was a person and gave it the 'i should've known' face.

**"I knew it finally happened," she teases, "you've been smiling so much lately." _  
_**

"So that's how you get Alec to smile." Simon said causing Alec's face to get redder. "Why is this my life?" Alec whined into his hands as he heard his friends laughing at the mundane's comment. "Don't worry so much darling." Magnus said as he refrained from laughing. Alec moved his hands from his face, turning to see his boyfriend's face.

The shadowhunter froze as he saw the expression on his face. It was predatory, like Magnus was the predator and Alec himself was the prey. The warlock looked hungry, no starving, and it seemed like Alec was the only thing to quench him from his hunger. ( **I have like no idea what I'm writing.)**

"Plus it means that you'll always smile." Magnus said to the shadowhunter. Alec was trying to process the words. As soon as he did he looked at his boyfriend with a dazed expression and an obvious flushed face. Magnus looked at him with an innocent expression and just before Alec was going to say something I cut him off with the next part of the story.

**Alec rolls his eyes. "Iz-"**

**"Okay, okay," she relents at the pleading in his voice, but she's still grinning. "Just tell me. Or ask me, whatever. I won't laugh, I promise."**

**Alec grimaces. He doesn't find that statement to be particularly comforting. But, on the other hand, he's made it this far. So-**

**"How do you give a blowjob?" he blurts, voice low and words rushing together, "I mean, obviously I know how to, uh- but, I mean. Without um- without, you know..."**

At this Maryse chocked on her spit, coughing as it went down the wring pipe. Izzy would've helped her mother but she was too busy laughing at the situation. Jace and Simon looked at Alec with suggestive looks, making the shadowhunter to turn away from them. And what a huge mistake that was. Alec looked to see his boyfriend with sultry expression. He turned away, not being able to deal with all these reactions at once. By the time everyone calmed down Izzy had tears in her eyes, Maryse was avoiding all eye contact, Jace and Simon were getting scolded by Clary and Alec was hiding his face in Magnus's neck with the warlock quietly laughing at the situation.

**He trails off into a vague gesture, his face burning.**

**"You gagged a little, huh?" she guesses, tone sympathetic. Unlike Alec, she seems completely unembarrassed by the topic at hand. "Don't worry, that just happens sometimes at first. I'm sure Magnus didn't think it was a big deal."**

**"Some guys even think it's a compliment," she adds, rolling her eyes a bit. "You know- they're so big or so overwhelming or whatever."**

"By the angel, I don't need to hear my children talk about this." Maryse said as she received sheepish looks from both Alec and Izzy.

**"What- no! I. No." Alec shakes his head. He doesn't know what he expected, but he's already regretting not turning around at Isabelle's door when he had the chance. "I didn't- I haven't..."**

**"Oh," Isabelle says, cutting off his stuttering as she catches on. "I get it - you haven't actually tried yet. You're too nervous."**

**Alec just nods tightly.**

"I guess that makes things slightly better." Maryse commented, lying to herself.

**"Well, I don't think there's a right way, exactly. It just takes practice, you know? If you're worried about choking, just don't try to take it all at once," she suggests. "Go slow, and just use your hands where your mouth doesn't reach."**

**Alec groans, making a face as he listens to Isabelle's advice. Her _sex_ advice. His little sister's sex advice.**

"This is why I'm happy I'm an only child." Clary said causing her friends to laugh once again.

"Wouldn't that be worse, I mean you would have to ask your mom then." Lydia said, making Clary to make a scrunched up face of disgust. Luke saw this and began to laugh silently, his shoulders quaking as he tried to keep it in.

**"But you know, you can get over your gag reflex if you really want to," she tells him, seemingly oblivious to his inner turmoil. "You wanna know how I learned?"  
**

Izzy read this line and immediately knew she was forgetting something. Apparently Jace felt the same way seeing as that Isabelle caught him reading the lines over and over again, as if trying to find something.

**"No," he responds quickly, because he doesn't want to think about that at all, actually. _By the angel._**

**"A cucumber," she says, ignoring him.**

'What?'

'What the fuck is a cucumber going to do?' The crowd thought, looking at Izzy as if she grown an extra head.

**He so surprised he actually looks over at her in his confusion.**

**"What?"**

**"Yeah, you know, for practice," she says. "We can go get one from the kitchen and I'll show you-"**

The crowd went 'Ohhh' as they realized what the veggie was for. Alec though was looking at the paper with confusion, not understanding any bit of what's going on.

**"By the angel, Izzy!" Alec says, standing from the bed and glaring down at her.**

**She's laughing outright now, the corners of her eyes actually starting to tear up as she watches him splutter in indignation.**

**"Just kidding, big brother," she laughs. Then after a beat, she adds, "just about the demonstration, not about practicing. And if you really do need a demonstration, you could always download some porn."**

"Isabelle Sophia Lightwood!!" Maryse screamed, shocked at the words.

"By the angel." Alec groaned into his boyfriend's shoulder, finally understanding what was happening. Why are they even reading this? It's not like it's important.

**"You're a terrible sister," he informs her. He feels like his whole body must be bright red at this point. He's definitely done with this conversation now, and he's going to be late for patrol soon anyway. "I'm never talking to you about anything ever again."  
**

"I stand by with what I said." The shadowhunter said to his sister, causing her to stick her tongue at him.

Alec saw this and decided to do the mature thing and stick his tongue back at his little sister. Magnus watched the scene and giggled at how childish his boyfriend can be. And adorable. Especially adorable.

**"I'll send you some links!" she calls at his retreating back and he rolls his eyes even though she can't see him.**

**"Please don't," he says, but he doesn't stop walking to look back at her, so he can't be sure she even hears him.**

"You know she will." Jace said, causing Alec to hang his head, knowing his parabatai is right.

**Once he's outside her room, he leans his head against the door for a few seconds and tries to will the flush off of his cheeks. Eventually, he feels under control enough to head back out to the floor and prepare for patrol, which thankfully turns out to be eventful enough that he has much more important things occupying his mind for the rest of the night.**

**It's not until he gets back to his room at the institute, hours later, that his conversation with Isabelle comes back to him. He's that perfect combination of amped and exhausted, the way he always is after a good fight, and all he wants to do is take a hot shower and then sleep for the next half-day at least. He's so intent on this plan, in fact, that when he enters his room he almost doesn't notice it. He's halfway to his en suite bathroom before he catches it out of the corner of his eye, and he slowly turns around, stomach dropping in dread.**

**Sitting on his bed, wrapped in a bright red bow, is a cucumber.**

Everyone at the theater was chocking on laughter, many of them were crying in fact. Well except Izzy, which was weird. Everyone honestly thought that Izzy would've been the loudest one out of all of them. Instead she was just sitting there, with her finger tapping her chin as if she was lost in thought.

"I remember!" A voice shouted. Everyone turns to the source and see no other than Isabelle standing out of her seat.

"I now remember what's different about Alec in the story." She said while pointing to her brother. The crowd turned towards him and the shadowhunter was already feeling uncomfortable with all of the attention on him.

"He doesn't have a gag reflex." Izzy said with a small grin on her face.

"Oh my god-" Simon

"How did I become so lucky?" Magnus

"How is that something you ever forget?" Lydia

"I mean with all the bad things I've done in my life I would've never thought I would have this blessing." Magnus

"How did he forget _ **he**_ doesn't have a reflex?" Clary

"This is just amazing, sweet, loyal, considerate, kind, and has the ability to possible deepthroat." Magnus said causing Alec to squawk and the crowd to go silent. The warlock noticed this and turned towards the crowd. "You can't judge me for this. I know that there is way more people in here that loves to receive and give and I will blab if you test me." He said causing all remarks to say inside their heads.

"So" I said to the crowd.

"Do you want to read about Alec deepthroating for the first time?" I asked the crowd in a rush of words that sounded like gibberish.

"YES!" Screamed some of the crowd.

"NO!?" The other half of the crowd screamed.

"Why did you ask no?" Jace questioned Simon.

"I don't know if I want to read about it or not. I mean it's personal and intimate, but I'm kind of curious about how it will play out. You know?"

"You're weird."


	14. A Mother's Love

"So...." Magnus started.

"Yes?"

"Are we going to talk about-"

"No." Alec said with his hands still covering his face.

"Ok, got it." 

Magnus looked at the shadowhunter next to him, feeling bad for him. I mean, can you blame the guy? He did just have the things he wanted t keep to himself shown on the big screen. **(A/N Again** **I am really sorry for that)** "You know, we don't have to do... that if you want to." The warlock said to his boyfriend. "It's not like I don't want to, it's more of a-" "You're not ready yet." Magnus guessed. Alec nodded, thankful he didn't have to say the words himself. 

"Well, we have all the time in the world to wait." Alec couldn't help but wonder how he got such a understanding lover.

Sadly the lovely moment was cut off by a screech. Everyone looked for what caused the sound, and eventually saw that it was me.

Clary was about to ask what was wrong, but was immediately cut off from all of the rambling I was doing. 

"I can't believe I forgot."

"I must be an idiot."

"A flippity, jacking, cracking idiot."

The crowd was giving me weird looks, not that I actually saw them or anything.

After my mini-breakdown I turned back to the crowd with a nervous grin. "I've noticed that I've forgotten one tiny kind of huge important detail." I said as I tugged at my shirt nervously.

"And that is?" A random shadowhunter asked.

"That you're human." At this a lot of downworlders started to cough and clear their throats.

"I mean you guys share certain human needs." I paused as the noises started to die down. "I forgot to feed you." The crowd actually looked like they just realized that they in fact need to eat. "Don't tell me you forgot to?" I asked them. There was no reply, so I just assumed that they too did forget they need food and water to live, well blood in some cases.

"Yeah, so" I clicked my fingers causing multiple long tables with food for everyone in the theater, "Eat up."

As soon as I said the words everyone was already on their feet basically running to the buffet. It didn't take them really long to find what they wanted, seeing all of them somehow have this keenness that I really don't get. After everyone got what they wanted they went back to their seats, plates filled with food.

Raphael and his clan had multiple bags of blood with empty wince glasses in hand.

The werewolves took all of the deer and steak, most of them choose raw over cooked.

The shadowhunters plus Simon, warlocks, seelies and the other downworlders took a mixture of vegetables, fruits and meats, but the Seelies mostly took vegetables and fruits.

The only ones that didn't go to the buffet tables were the kids of the warlock orphanage because Edith didn't want them near any shadowhunters. Just because she trusts Alec and a few other Lightwoods doesn't mean she trusts them all, but she still went over to the table to get plates for the children.

Soon after everybody was seated I decided I should tell them what they were reacting to today. Before anyone could take a bite of their food I flew down to the crowd saying, "Today we are going to read 'She always loved them' by attachiantenephilim." I snapped my fingers again, giving everyone a copy of the story.

I cleared my throat as I started to read the first paragraph.

**Shadowhunters were used to time difference. They would be up all night for a required mission or important demon alerts. And when the work was done, they would catch up their sleep during the bright day. So, when Isabelle Lightwood came back from a midnight patrol, she didn't expect to see anyone in the Institute's kitchen at this hour. She was wrong, and quite surprised by who was sat at the kitchen's counter:**

**"Mom?"**

**Maryse finally noticed her presence and smiled, a bowl of strawberries in front of her.**

**"Oh, Isabelle. Hello, I haven't seen you there."**

**Isabelle kissed her mother's cheek to greet her, truly glad to see her again. Since their conversation about Robert's affair, they grew close and Izzy couldn't be happier.**

"Affair?!" The Lightwood children exclaimed.

"Mom is this true?" Isabelle asked her mother in a gentle tone.

Maryse looked at her daughter with a heartbroken expression, wishing that she could deny the truth. She knows how close Isabelle is to her father, she knows how much Robert loves to spoil her and she knows how much Isabelle loves to be spoiled. Maryse always pushed her own feelings aside, knowing that the truth about her and Robert's relationship could affect her children, she know how much they would much rather talk and hang out with him then they would their own mother.

Maryse grabbed Isabelle's hand and held her daughter's face with her other, wiping away the tears that were falling from her beautiful doe eyes. "Yes, sadly your father is having an affair with another women." Izzy gasped at this information, bringing her hands to her mouth as she took it in.

While Maryse, Clary, Lydia and Simon were trying to comfort Izzy, Alec was frozen, trying to process all of the information he just heard. Magnus saw this and held the man's hand, really not knowing how to comfort his boyfriend at a time like this. Jace on the other hand was more than ready to go to Robert and smack him around until he was an unrecognized bloody blob on the floor, but sadly Maryse didn't allow him to do so.

**"Is everything okay? I didn't know you were back from Idris."**

**"I arrived some hours ago and I've been told you and your brothers were out. But yes, I'm doing well thank you."**

**"Are you... sure? Because when Alec is upset, he eats strawberries until his stomach explodes. So, since you're eating strawberries right now... Maybe it's something running in the family?"**

"So that's where I got it from." Alec said as he was cramming a strawberry into his mouth, still upset about the news of the affair.

**Maryse chuckled first, eating another strawberry.**

**"It's probably because that was all I was eating when I was pregnant with him."**

Alec hummed at this.

**"Mom... What's wrong?"**

**"It's okay sweetie, don't worry, it's not that bad. I, um... I signed the divorce papers today."**

The Lightwoods(minus Robert) looked down at this, not being able to believe it's really over.

**"Oh. So it's official?"**

**"Yes, it seems like it is. I guess I'm just a bit... sad, even if it's what I wanted to." Isabelle nodded, clenching her fists under the counter. Even though she adores her father, she was angry that he hurt her mother. She, Alec and Jace had never seen her so sad than after their separation.**

"Clearly." Jace snorted with a sad expression.

**"Also, I miss you and your siblings, and I would like to spend more time in the Institute."**

**"Okay." Isabelle nodded happily "It'll be great to have you here more, especially for Max. He's having his first missions and he's so excited."**

Max's head whipped up at this information, a wide smile across his face. Alec and Magnus snorted at this, you can clearly see how long he's been waiting for that.

**"I can't wait to see him in action. I know you were the one in charge of his training so I'm really proud of you, you did amazingly."**

**Isabelle wasn't used to her mother being proud of her and actually showing it. She smiled genuinely and hugged her.**

Maryse made a mental note to compliment her children more.

**"Thank you, mom, it means a lot." She eventually sat with her in the kitchen and shared some strawberries with her.**

**And it's the moment Alec chose to pass by the kitchen.**

**"Izzy, oh, hey mom. Didn't expect you here."**

**"I decided to spend some time here. I mean, I should ask if it's fine with you as the Head of the Institute." She asked, full of hope.**

**"Well, I have one condition."**

**"I'm all ears."**

**"Hand me the strawberries." Alec said, half-smiling. The two Lightwood women chuckled, and Alec sat with them, enjoying his break from all the paperwork.**

"I'm sorry I just like strawberries." Alec said when he saw Magnus give him a look.

"That's an understatement." Izzy joked, trying to get the affair off her mind.

"Clearly an understatement." Jace said, joining in on the joke.

**"It's good to see you Mother. Unfortunately, Jace won't join us now, he's out with Clary for some hours."**

**"Where's Max?" Izzy asked.**

**"In bed." Alec admitted which made Izzy raise a questioning eyebrow "What? Even if he can go to missions now, he's still our baby brother."**

"I'm not a baby." Max whined causing the adults in the theater to laugh.

**"And you're not using your power as the Head of the Institute to protect him, aren't you?" Izzy asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes.**

**"Not at all."**

**Maryse frankly laughed because thank the Angel, Alec was a protective big brother.**

"I'm not protective." Alec said, causing Jace and Izzy to give him an 'are you kidding' look.

"That's a lie and you know it." Jace said to his parabatai.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The eldest Lightwood said with his arms folded across his chest.

"What about the time me and Jace went to Pandemonium and you saw the bouncer talking to me?" Izzy asked.

"He wasn't doing his job and he was too close to you."

"Alec he was like 4 feet away and Izzy was asking where the bathroom was." Jace said with a roll of his eyes. 

"He was still too close." Alec said as he turned away from his siblings.

**"How long do you plan to stay?" He then asked her.**

**"For a month, I think. As I was telling your sister, your father and I signed the divorce papers today so... I think I would like some time away from Idris, him and... her."**

**At that, Alec frowned. He wasn't only protective with his siblings ; he was caring about his mother as well.**

"You just fucking admitted your protective over us _and_ Maryse." Jace said causing Alec to roll his eyes.

**"Her? You mean... You saw his new..." Maryse nodded as an answer, and now Izzy and Alec were really upset. They couldn't believe their ears and their father's behaviour.  
**

The Lightwoods(plus Clary, Magnus, Lydia and Simon) glared at Robert, disgusted at the man's behavior.

**"Is he serious? How could he just walk through Alicante with his hoe like this?!" exclaimed Isabelle.**

**"Language." Her mother and brother reminded.**

"You two are so alike, it's honestly terrifying." Izzy commented, remembering all of the times she got scolded by both her mother and brother.

**"Sorry. But come on, you know I'm right."**

**"Yeah. Dad is going too far by showing her off like this in front of your eyes."**

**"Kids it's okay, I swear. Don't be too hard on him, he's still your father no matter what happened between us."**

"There is nothing okay with this." Jace mumbled darkly under his breathe.

**"You seem to be okay with it." Izzy pointed out.**

**"Well, let's just say I'm starting to move on. Actually... umm, this is something I wanted to discuss with you, Jace included, but..." Maryse swallowed, trying to find the right words because it was the first time she was talking that much about something so personal with her children. But they deserved to know and they were old enough to understand.**

**"What is it, mom?"**

**"Would you guys be okay if I started... seeing another man?"**

Maryse made a questionable sound, not believing that she has already found someone.

**"Mom... Of course!" Alec and Izzy both said, like it was a stupid question.  
**

"To be fair, it kind of wa-" Jace got cut off from the glares Izzy and Alec threw in his direction.

**Maryse giggled, relieved and right away, Izzy started to question her mother excitedly.**

**"So you see someone? Since when? Who is it? Do we know him?"**

**"It's, no, I don't- I mean yes, we've already had dinner several times but it's not... I don't know if-"**

**"Aww Alec, you and mom stutter exactly the same way." Izzy teased making her own mother blush.**

"See" Izzy said pointing to the paper in her hand, "Crazy similar."

**"Let me guess..." Alec said, ignoring his sister's remark. "It's Luke?"  
**

At this Maryse made a surprised sound and Luke chocked on his steak. Clary looked between Maryse and Luke, a little distressed. The Lightwood siblings just seem surprised like their mother. Robert made a face of disgust, clearly disapproving of the relationship.

**"Wha- How do you know?" Maryse burst out with wide eyes. "Is it so obvious?"**

**"Every time he comes to the Institute for the Downworld cabinet meetings, his eyes literally look around for you."**

"I'm honestly surprised Alec saw this, I mean the man couldn't even see that Magnus was flirting with him and it extremely obvious." Izzy said, causing Magnus to snort and Alec to looks at his boyfriend with a look of betrayal.

**"You're the one to talk." teases Izzy "I know another Downworld representative who can't stop devouring you with his eyes." Alec nudged his sister's hip, blushing because of the thought of Magnus.**

Alec blushed along with his counter-self in the story.

**"Anyway, we were talking about Luke." He mumbled, hiding a smile.**

**"Oh yeah, tell us mom! Luke is amazing, I didn't know you guys knew each other so well."**

**Maryse found her daughter's excitement endearing and was relieved her and Alec weren't reluctant about her new potential relationship. She really liked Luke, and it was hardly yesterday...**

**"Lucian and I know each other for years, to be honest. We were good friends, we were in the Circle together. I was already dating your father at a time, but the day before my 18th birthday, we'd had a stupid fight and broke up. Celine, my best friend and Jace's mother, dragged me in one of these bars next to the Idris Academy to cheer me up. And Luke and his sister Cleophas were there."**

Imogen and the rest of the older shadowhunters looked up at this, clearly shocked with the mentioning of Celine.

**"Why do I feel like alcohol was involved at some point?" Alec said, rolling his eyes.**

**Maryse sighed with a nervous laughter.**

Maryse started to fidget from all of the looks her children and their friends were giving her.

**"Um... Yes, to go straight to the point, I got drunk with vodka." She admitted.**

This is some very shocking news." Izzy said, referring to her mother being drunk.

**"Oh by the Angel!" Izzy burst out laughing.**

**"Hey, I was young too at some point in my life, you know? Anyway, let's just say I was quite... entertaining to watch. Luke was the one who had to make me come down from the table on which I was dancing."**

**At this point, Izzy was laughing so much that she was holding her stomach and Alec, despite his amused smile, couldn't believe his ears; like mother, like daughter 'cause he definitely did the same thing with a drunk Izzy at some rave party.**

"It seems like in Maryse's earlier years she was like Izzy and now she's more like Alec, or should I say they're like her." Lydia said causing the trio to laugh.

**"And... Well, he was sober, and he still probably thinks I don't remember this but um... I actually, kissed him that night."**

Clary turned to where Luke was and saw him holding his flushed face in his hands with his pack laughing and teasing him. Clary doesn't exactly know what to think of this yet. She was so sure that her mother and Luke would get together, but now it seems that it would be a mother of a friend and her father figure. From what she's seen Maryse would be a good match for Luke, she's brave, confident, loving and caring. She also tries to put others before herself, as she could clearly see when she forced herself to stay together with a man that didn't love her. The older Lightwood also has her faults, but who doesn't and besides, she has more than made up for them. Clary turned back around looked at Maryse, giving her a small smile which the woman gladly returned. The young Fairchild might not have the ability to see the future, but she knows that this relationship would most definitely work.

**"What?!" Both her children shrieked.**

**"I know... But I was intoxicated and always begging him to dance with me. He accepted to make me happy and I kind of threw myself on him..."**

**"I don't know if I want to know more" Alec whined.**

"I agree with that statement." Jace said as he turned away from his paper.

**"I do!" Izzy exclaimed. "What happened next?"  
**

"Izzy no." Jace whined.

"Izzy yes." Isabelle said as she practically beamed at the paper in her hand.

**"Um, nothing, actually. I remember him kissing me back but I broke the kiss to run in the toilets. Celine had to hold my hair while I was throwing up and I was too embarrassed the morning after to talk to him... Plus, your father came to me to apologize twenty times and we made up. Since then, nothing more ever happened, I married Robert and he fell in love with Jocelyn."**

"Except Robert cheated on you." Jace grumbled.

**"Mom, this is probably the best story you've ever told us. And the fact that you guys had a moment like that and now you're both single and seeing each other after all these years... It's fate!" Izzy said with much enthusiasm.  
**

"*cough*Hopeless Romantic*cough*" 

Izzy gave her adopted brother a glare, which he quickly looked away from.

**"Maybe it is fate, indeed." Her mother added.**

**"I have to tell this to Clary, she won't believe it! But first, I'm going to get some sleep I'm really exhausted from my patrol. Good night you two." Isabelle both kissed them good night and left, still thrilled.**

**Maryse chuckled but was over the moon to have such an accepting and lovely daughter. Alec, who stayed, was still smiling as well.**

**"She'll never let me see the end of it, right?"**

"Nope." Izzy said with a bright smile on her face.

**"That's why I never tell her too much, she will tease you to death." Her son laughed and she couldn't help but laugh as well. The mood between them was comfortable and Maryse couldn't remember when was the last time she shared a bonding moment like that with her children.**

**"It's... good to share stories like that with you, mom. I have the impression we don't talk enough." Alec admitted.**

**"It is. I'm sorry if I often looked ice cold towards you and your siblings, sweetie."**

**"It's okay. I guess I kind of got this trait from you. I don't always open up me neither."**

"See, even Alec admits it." Izzy said, making Jace to roll his eyes.

**"Then, let's try to communicate in the family okay? I want you to be able to come to me every time you have a problem or just something to ask me."**

**"Okay. Sounds good." Alec nodded with a smile. "Hey, I actually wanted to ask you something, about what you said earlier. You talked about Celine, Jace's mother... You knew her well?"**

Imogen sat up at this, wanting to know if her theory was true.

**Alec got scared when he saw Maryse's eyes filling themselves of sadness, and was afraid it might be a bad thing to ask her. But she responded, anyway:**

**"She was like a sister to me. Back then, in my younger days, I was the reckless shadowhunter whereas Celine was the calmest one, always stopping me from charging in."**

**"Mom, you should talk to Jace about her. He might not say it himself, but he needs to know more about his parents."**

Jace looked confused at this.

**"I'm afraid of his reaction, Alec. When Robert and I left the Circle, Celine and I argued because she wanted me to stay. I yelled at her that day, not understanding why she was still on Valentine's side..." Maryse's eyes were a little wet when she said her last sentence:**

**"I never knew that she stayed because she was pregnant..."**

**The Lightwood son took her hand in an attempt to comfort her. He hated to see her so sad, the last time was when she announced him that his father was cheating on her and she had looked so... vulnerable.**

Isabelle gave her mother a hug as an attempt to comfort her.

**"You couldn't know, mom. But... don't you think it would be a good thing for her memory to tell Jace? At least, describing some moments you spent with her if she was your best friend. I'm sure she was a good person. Also, Jace... He's at this point of his life where he doesn't even know who he is. With Valentine's lies and all the things he accumulated this year, he feels more lost than ever. I can feel it through our bond. He needs to know more about his past, maybe as a Herondale."**

"AS A WHAT?!" Jace yelled, starting the chain of chaos.

"JACE IS A WHAT?"

"I THOUGHT MICHAEL WAS HIS DAD?!"

"Ok I get that you guy are confused and probably wondering what the fuck is happening right now and it will all be revealed shortly." I said to crowd, which surprisingly quieted them.

**Still not letting her son's hand go, Maryse stayed silent for a minute. Then she nodded, realizing Alec was more than right.**

**"You're right, I... I'll talk to him."**

**"Really?"**

**"Yes. I think it'd do him some good and I have some pictures with Celine and even with Stephen that I could give him."**

Imogen looked down in sadness at the mention of her deceased son.

**"Thanks mom" he sighed, almost relieved. "I hope it'll help him."**

**They quickly got their smile back when Alec asked more questions about her own past. He was truly happy to know more about her, even about his father because he knew his parents used to love each other once upon a time. And it felt reassuring to see that even parents make mistakes sometimes. Half an hour later, they both felt the exhaustion of the day and were about to call it a night but Alec wanted to ask her a last question. One he's been wondering for a long time actually because most of the time, you need to know your own people to know yourself.**

**"Mom, about that, I've been wanting to ask you... I mean, you all had your reasons to join Valentine and the Circle at the time, you thought it was a good cause. But, you and dad... Why did you leave? What was the reason?"**

Everyone sat up at this, wanting to know the true reason Maryse left the circle.

**Surprise could be seen in Maryse's eyes before the most tender and affectionate smile appeared on her smile.**

**"You, Alec."**

Alec looked up in surprise, not expecting that as an answer.

**"What?"**

**"You were barely born when the Clave realized the Circle was starting to be a threat, when Valentine got crazy with his ideas. I could've stayed; Celine and Stephen did, Hodge did a bit longer." Maryse had laid her hand on his cheek and fondly put one strand of his hair behind his ear.**

**"But there was this one moment where I was in your nursery, I was feeding you and you looked at me with such a beautiful and innocent smile... My baby boy." She smiled. "And I just knew that I had to make everything within my power to keep you safe."**

Alec went up to his mother's seat to give her a hug, which she gladly accepted, soon Jace joined in and Izzy as well with Max going in after her.

"Alec are you crying?" Jace asked after hearing quiet sniffles.

"No," Alec said as he wiped his tears, "it's probably Izzy."

"I'm over here trying my best not to cry, this is lovely and heartwarming but my makeup would get runny and ruined."

"It's totally Alec." Max said with a snort.

"Stop calling me out." Alec said as they pulled out from the hug.

**Alec didn't realize his eyes got a little bit wet. He quickly rubbed his eyes but couldn't help but hugging his mother.  
**

By now everybody was back to their seats, besides Max, he decided to stay with his mom.

**"I... I love you mom."**

**"I love you too, baby. Have a good night." He kissed her good night and she left the kitchen.**

**Alec didn't how much I needed to have this discussion with his mom. She did made mistakes, she wasn't perfect, but she _always_ loved him. And that was all that mattered.**

Maryse felt relieved to hear this, happy that her mistakes didn't change how her children saw her.

**Feeling his cell phone buzzing, his smile got huge when he read the text:**

_**By: Magnus Can't sleep without you, hope you'll come home soon. Love you my Alexander x** _

**He replied before leaving the kitchen too. It was a good night. _  
_**

"Awwwww." Izzy and Clary said in a dreamy tone.

"Shut up." Alec muttered with a flushed face.

"I think it was pretty adorable."Jace said teasing his parabatai. 

"You know you suck right?"

"Yup."


	15. I MADE A DISCORD SERVER

As the title suggests, I finally made a server, for like the first time in my life and I just really want to get to know my readers better.

so............................

yeah 

anyway here is the link

https://discord.gg/hAUjHrd


	16. Clalec(Brotp)

"Hello peasants." I called out to the crowd. This caused an uproar of shouting and profanity that I just decided to ignore.

"Seeing as that I've been on a roll with family bonding stories, I've decided to let you guys react to an unofficial sibling of Alec's." The crowd turned to me confused, obviously not understanding anything coming out of my mouth. Some shadowhunters looked alarm at this, especially the Lightwoods, they didn't need anymore surprises right now.

"Before you ask, they are not a secret sibling and they are not blood related to anyone in the Lightwood or Herondale family." I said causing a few shadowhunters to relax and sigh in relief. "But they are a very special person to both the Lightwoods and the Herondales, well some of the Herondales." I tilt my head to the side, making a low humming noise. "Ok I take that back, they are a special person to one of the Herondales."

I snapped my fingers giving everyone a copy of the story. "We are reading 'Choose your weapon' by Aryn." 

I cleared my throat, getting ready to read the first couple of sentences.

**"Why did you choose a bow and arrow as your weapon?" Clary asked Alec when she found him having lunch in the Institute's kitchen.**

**Alec pinned Clary with a glare, the effect of which was somewhat undercut by the fact that he was holding a sandwich halfway to his face. "We're not doing this," he said.**

**"Doing what?" Clary asked, just as Alec took a big bite of his sandwich. He kept eye contact with her for a long moment. Then, with a smirk, he started chewing obnoxiously slowly, making it clear that he would go to whatever lengths necessary to just to avoid furthering their conversation.**

Izzy shook her head at Alec's behavior, he really needs to hang out with more people.

**But Clary was stubborn. Unwilling to break their little staring contest, Clary glared defiantly back at him, waiting for him to finish eating. When Alec realized Clary wasn't going to give in, he rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving his half-eaten sandwich forgotten on the counter. He didn't bother holding back a groan at the sound of Clary's quick footsteps following him.**

**"Come on, Alec!"**

**"Give it up, Fray. You're not going to get me to bond with you, especially not over something as asinine as weaponry."**

Jace snorted at this, knowing that Alec would much rather show off his bow than talk about it.

**" _That's_ what you think this is about?" Clary asked.**

**Alec gave her a disbelieving scowl and paused in the middle of an empty hallway, allowing Clary to catch up to him. "Why else would you ask me about my bow?"**

**The question had Clary glancing at the ground, suddenly looking self-conscious, which only served to fuel Alec's curiosity. But after a moment, she looked up at him again, fiery determination back in her eyes. "I want you to teach me," she said.**

Alec made an inhuman noise at this with a face of a mixture between disgust and disbelief, Magnus saw this and started to laugh at the Lightwood.

**Alec's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned closer to her, examining Clary's face with suspicion. "Why would _you_ want to learn how to use a bow? Kindjals not doing it for you anymore?"**

**"Why did you choose arrows?" Clary repeated her question from earlier, but Alec just gave her a smug smile.**

**"I'm not telling you until you answer me first."**

**Clary grunted in annoyance, and it only made Alec smile wider. Exasperated by his stubbornness, she relented with a sigh. "The kindjals are fine. It's just... right now, everyone still just sees me for my rune ability. I want to show people I can be a strong fighter, and I'll do that if I develop a range of skill with different weapons. I'm okay with a seraph blade, but I usually train with Jace for that and he's... distracting."**

Izzy snorted at this and Jace smirked at the redhead, Clary saw the smirk and looked away from her boyfriend with a flushed face while Simon pretended to gag.

**Alec failed to smother a snort, "That's one way to put it."**

**"I tried practicing the whip with Izzy, but that was obviously above my skill level," Clary admitted, and Alec nodded along with her words.**

Isabelle beamed at those words, happy to know that no one around her can reach her level. Maryse saw this and sighed at her daughter's behavior.

**"The whip is deceptively difficult. Izzy knew she wanted it to be her weapon early on. She trained with one for years before she finally used it on a mission."**

**"Is the bow easier to learn?" Clary asked. Alec was hesitant to continue down this path of conversation, but the hopeful glint in her eyes made him cave against his better judgment.**

**"The fundamentals are simpler, yes," he said. "But it takes a long time to master."**

"Nothing about _your_ bow is simple." Jace said with a scandalous expression. "I have better luck with Izzy's whip than that thing you call a bow."

"Stop being so dramatic." Alec said with an eye roll.

**"You've mastered it," she said. Alec didn't respond, not willing to confirm or deny the statement. "You clearly know enough to teach a novice the basics."**

**Alec sighed and shook his head, "This is a bad idea."**

**"But?" Clary said, a small smile growing on her face. Alec gave her a flat look, then pivoted to continue walking down the hall.**

**"Meet me in the weapons room tomorrow at 6 a.m. Don't be late," he ordered, not looking back at her as he walked away.**

"Look at you big brother, actually making an attempt to make friends." Izzy said with a giggle, causing Alec's cheeks to turn a dusty pink.

**"Yes! Thanks Alec!" Clary cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Before she lost sight of him, she called out once more, "You never answered my first question, you know!"**

**Alec rounded the corner without responding.**

"At least you've made some progress." Jace said, failing to hold in his snorts. 

**So Alec decided to go through with training Clary, despite the little voice in his head telling him it was a bad idea. That little voice turned out to be wrong anyway. It wasn't a bad idea at all.**

**It was a _disaster._**

"I should've known." Alec groaned out.

"Rude." Clary called out.

**Alec knew it would be the second he strolled into the weapons room at 5:58 the next morning and saw Clary standing there with Simon Lewis.**

**"What is the vampire doing here?"**

"I kind of forgot that I get turned into a bloodsucker." Simon said with a sad tone, staring down at the ground. Jace gave the future-vampire at pat on the back, shooting him a reassuring smile. "It doesn't matter if you're not human anymore, you'll still be the annoying dorky idiot we all know and dislike." He said, ruffling the mundane's hair. 

Simon gave Jace a glare, which the later gave no reaction to. "You are and forever will be a jerk. Won't you?" Jace smirked at this, amused by the human's reaction.

"Only to you mundane."

**"The vampire has a name, you know," Simon replied, stepping forward to extend his hand to Alec. "Simon Lewis, pleasure to meet you for the dozenth time."**

**Alec ignored him and continued glaring at Clary. "I agreed to teach _you_ how to use a bow, not you and a friend."**

**"Simon and I are kind of a package deal."**

**"Downworlders can't even use the same weapons we do," Alec argued, gesturing at some of the runes engraved on the seraph blades laying on a nearby table.**

**"You don't have to train him. Just let him observe," Clary tried to persuade him. "It can't hurt for him to have this extra knowledge, right? He's as new to the shadow world as I am."**

"You're very persistent." Lydia commented, pursing out her lips.

"I know."

**Alec huffed and turned to look at Simon again, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny at the strange boy in front of him. "As long as he keeps his mouth shut," he finally agreed. Clary and Simon shared a gleeful look at their victory, and Alec rolled his eyes and walked around the table to grab a bow from the weapons wall and set it down in front of them.**

**"Why did you ask me to meet you here instead of the training room anyway?" Clary asked.**

**"I'm not letting you near a target until you have a full understanding of all the components that make up a bow," Alec replied. "You'll never learn how to use a weapon correctly if you don't know what you're handling."**

Maryse gave a nod at this, happy that her son isn't being too reckless.

**With that, Alec launched into an explanation of each section of the bow on the table. Clary suddenly regretted not bringing a pen and paper with her, as she struggled to keep up with the different limbs, notches and shelves Alec was mentioning. She nodded along to avoid looking stupid, but when Alec took a few steps away to grab some arrows, she sent Simon a panicked glance. He grinned at her.**

**"I guess a seraph blade is a bit easier to grasp," Simon said, chuckling at his own pun. He shut up when he noticed the warning look Alec was shooting him, the arrows clenched in his hands sending a heavy threat. Alec let him slide, but instead of moving on to talk about arrows, he set them aside to pick up the bow instead.**

**"Here," he said, holding it out to Clary. "It's easier to understand when you're handling it yourself."**

**Alec was right. Clary may not have been able to name every part of the bow, but as Alec pointed out each component to her while she gripped it the same way she would against an enemy, she started to see how all the pieces worked together.**

**When Alec was satisfied she had it down, he moved onto bowstrings. Handing her a bow and a string, he told Clary to try and hitch the string around the tip of the bow as quickly as she could. Simon and Alec stood together a few feet away from her, looking on as she initially struggled with the challenge. Not realizing how close the vampire had gotten to him, Alec jumped slightly at the sound of his whisper.**

"At least we know Alec doesn't see you as a threat in any form." Izzy said with a stage whisper, causing Jace to snort.

Simon had a confused look on his face so Jace decided to explain. "If he flinched that means he forgot you were there or you spooked him, which means he let his guard down." He said making the mundane nod in understanding.

**"So, why _did_ you choose the bow as your main weapon?" Simon asked quietly. At Alec's unnerved look, he backtracked somewhat. "Clary said you wouldn't tell her when she asked you. But don't worry, I won't tell if you don't want me to."**

**"Get out."**

**Simon looked like he wanted to argue, but one look at the severe expression on Alec's face was enough to get him to close his mouth. In a flash, he was hurrying out of the Institute.**

"Scary." Magnus said in a teasing tone, causing Alec to blush.

**With the distraction of Simon out of the picture, their lessons progressed surprisingly well. Soon, Alec was bringing Clary into the training room, where he had set up three large targets. Clary was almost vibrating with excitement and nerves as Alec instructed her to take the position they practiced and aim for the target in the center.**

**Unfortunately, her quivering fingers didn't help her accuracy, and her first arrow missed the target entirely, bouncing off one of the stone pillars to the right. Clary winced and slowly turned around to face Alec, who was staring at her with pursed lips.**

**"Well, that was... terrible," he observed.**

**"Your faith in me is very encouraging."**

Surprisingly it was Alec that snorted this time, which caused Clary to throw a grape at his head in annoyance.

**Alec chucked, which made Clary raise her eyebrows in surprise. Alec had never laughed at any of her jokes in the past. Before she could rib him for it, Alec spoke up first, "Did you breathe?"**

**"Did I what?"**

**"Did you remember to breathe when you took your shot?"**

**"No, I held my breath. I thought that being completely still would help me aim better."**

**Alec was shaking his head at her as she spoke. "No, no. You should always shoot on your exhale, when you're the most relaxed. Being tense like that can make you jerk slightly when you let go. It's sometimes hard to realize you're doing it."**

**He had Clary try again, this time focusing on her breathing. She missed again, and he found something else to correct — the placement of her feet, the angle of her elbow, the tilt of her head, the grip of her fingers. There was so much to remember that Clary began to get frustrated with herself at not hitting anything yet, but even more shocking was how Alec had yet to lose patience with her, correcting her in the same even tone each time.**

"I'm honestly surprised he hasn't snapped at her yet." Izzy said, remembering how Alec has had thin patience when it come to the Fairchild girl.

**Finally, on her fourteenth shot, the arrow hit its target. Even though it was near the edge, nowhere close to the center, Clary let out a yell of triumph and spun to face Alec.**

**"I did it! Did you see that?" Clary asked, and Alec nodded once. He appeared to have the same blank expression on his face, but when Clary looked closely, she could see the barest hint of a smile. That was more than enough for her.**

Izzy gasped dramatically, causing the other Lightwoods to roll their eyes.

"Alec, smiling at Clary, I never thought I would see the day."

"Or well, read it in this case." She said after an afterthought.

**"Better," Alec said. "But most of the enemies you'll be facing down are much smaller than these targets. You've still got a lot of work to do."**

**Clary just laughed at his pessimism and walked over to set the bow down and grab her water bottle. "Same time tomorrow then?" She asked.**

**"As always."**

"I can't believe he is really going through with this." A shadowhunter Alec recognized as Underhill, said to the others in disbelief.

**Once their training was devoted solely to improving Clary's aim, she learned at a faster rate. After about two weeks, Clary was consistently hitting the targets each time, although she hadn't gotten a bullseye yet. Alec started moving the targets around, bringing smaller ones in the mix and placing them in more challenging areas. He also started shooting with her, allowing her to observe what he did as he hit the targets dead center time after time.**

**Clary didn't get it. She was sure she was imitating Alec's exact movements, and yet her arrows always strayed to the side, while Alec hit the bullseye every time without fail. She continued to question him about why he chose the weapon and what made him so good at it. Alec outright refused to answer the first question, but the advice he gave to her for the latter was actually useful.**

**"Practice."**

"Practicing can do you a whole lot of good Clary." Izzy said to her best friend.

**When Alec deemed her skills good enough for her to train without his supervision, Clary started visiting the target room multiple times a day in addition to their morning sessions. Soon enough, if anyone needed Clary for something they would check the target room first, and more often than not they would find her there practicing her aim.  
**

"You're taking this very seriously Biscuit." Magnus said as he pursed his lips.

"Of course I am."

**Her progress was slower without Alec there to help, but the time she spent training by herself helped her get more comfortable holding a bow, as she didn't feel the pressure of a seasoned pro watching her every move. Still, a few weeks in she had yet to hit the center, and every practice dragged on longer than the next as her frustration increased.**

**Clary was back in the target room late one night after tossing and turning in her bed for what felt like hours. She was so focused on her target, she didn't notice the sound of footsteps entering the room until a voice spoke up behind her.**

**"You know," Alec said, causing Clary to jump and almost lose her grip on the arrow she was holding. "Being skilled with a bow is relatively useless if you aren't aware of your surroundings."**

Maryse nodded at this.

**"I knew you were there," Clary grumbled, walking over to the benches to grab her water bottle.**

**"Sure."**

**"What are you doing here anyway?" Clary asked. "Don't you have an Institute to run?"**

**"Everyone else is either asleep or out on a mission," he said. "Thought I would check on you before I head home."**

"It must be my birthday!" Izzy exclaimed. "I never thought I would hear Alec saying that he cares about Clary outloud." Alec rolled his eyes at this, deciding to not deal with his sister.

**"Well, now you've checked. Goodnight," Clary said curtly as she picked up her bow and resumed her stance opposite her target. She let an arrow fly a moment later, and then groaned when she saw it land further away from the center than the previous arrows she shot.**

**"Whoa. What's up with you?" Alec asked, and when she turned around Clary saw that he had made himself comfortable on the bench behind her.**

**"Is Alec Lightwood actually commenting on my attitude right now?"**

**"Yes. I would think that should be a concern for you," he replied. When all Clary did was roll her eyes at him, he tilted his head and studied her. "What's the matter Fray?"**

**" _That_ is the matter," she said, pointing at the target. "I've been at this for weeks, and I have yet to hit a single bullseye."**

**"I told you. All you need to do is—"**

**"Practice," he and Clary said at the same time.**

**"I know," she continued. "You told me, and I have been practicing. I practice for hours every day, but sometimes it feels like I'm not getting any better no matter how hard I try."**

**Alec narrowed his eyes at her, taking in her messy hair, the dark circles under her eyes, and her slumped shoulders. "How long have you been in here tonight?"**

**"I don't know. What time is it?"**

"Wrong answer." Max, Izzy and Jace said, knowing how protective Alec can be.

**That was the wrong answer, if Alec's scowl was any indication. He stood up from the bench and walked toward her, grabbing one of her hands once he was close enough. He held it up to his face, examining the skin on either side of her palm. Before she could ask what he was doing, he dropped her hand and stalked out of the room without another word.**

**Setting her bow on the ground, Clary held both her hands up to her face to assess them herself. She immediately saw what was wrong. Small scratches spread up her fingers and in the webbing of her hands. Where her skin wasn't torn, most of it was rubbed raw until it was bright pink. Clary even found small traces of blood in a deeper cut between her index finger and thumb.**

"How did you not notice that?" Lydia asked her cousin. Clary shrugged her shoulders, causing the Branwell to sigh with a shake of her head.

**How had she not noticed this before? Yes, she had been focused on hitting her targets, but surely the pain would have registered eventually? Before she could ponder this much further, Alec returned with a roll of fabric clutched in his hand.**

**"Here," he said, beckoning her closer.**

**Once she reached him, he grabbed one of her hands and started wrapping the fabric around her palm. The cloth had some elastic to it, so it molded to the shape of her hand as Alec wound it between her fingers and up to the first knuckle. After he was finished, he completed the same process with her other hand. His movements were quick, practiced, and Clary knew that he had done this probably a hundred times before.**

**After Alec finished wrapping each of her hands, he dropped the roll and stared at her seriously. "Look, I know better than anyone how much pressure it can be to be perfect all the time. Especially when you have people doubting you — the drive to prove them wrong can overshadow every other responsibility in your life. But hard work isn't always a good thing, not if you don't go about it in a healthy way. It can set you back, and more importantly, you can get hurt," he said with a look at her hands.**

Many of the younger shadowhunters nod at this, knowing the pressure of having to be perfect. Or to at least seem perfect to others.

**Clary's mind flashed back to past times she had observed Alec training, back when Jace was in Valentine's clutches, or when his parents were putting the weight of the world on his shoulders. He always went the hardest when his world was the darkest, and Clary always thought he did that because the stakes were so high. While that may have been part of it, she realized that he may have had a bigger motive driving him. As she glanced back at her target, still with several arrows embedded in it, Clary suddenly understood Alec a little bit better.**

**"I get that. I do, but..."**

**"It's fine. I respect your work ethic Clary. Just try to keep track of how long you're practicing from now on. You don't want to burn yourself out," Alec looked to the side and gestured at the small pile of arrows sitting there, ready for Clary to shoot. "Why don't you finish out this set and then go get some rest? And sleep in tomorrow. We can reschedule our training for the afternoon."**

"You should really follow your own advice." Izzy commented.

"Yeah, you don't know how many times I've seen you pass out from exhaustion or how many times I've seen you look like the walking dead." Jace said with a shake of his head before turning to vampires.

"No offense."

Raphael shook his head and held out his hand. "None taken."

**Clary nodded at him. "Thanks Alec," she said, watching with grateful eyes as Alec gave her a small, close-lipped smile, and strode out of the room for the night.  
**

"I really have to get used to this whole 'smiling at Clary' thing."

"Izzy."

"Yeah?"

"Stop it."

**Clary was getting better, Alec assured her on a weekly basis, but her frustration only increased by the day as she failed to get a bullseye. She was skilled enough that her arrows consistently hit the small circle that bordered the true center, but that was almost more infuriating than when her arrows would scatter all over the target. She was so close she could taste it, but she just wasn't there yet.**

**"Patience, young shadowhunter," Alec said to her one morning with a smirk, which earned him a scowl.**

Simon gasped loudly at this, causing Jace to flinch.

"YOU KNOW STAR WARS!!!!!" He exclaimed loudly, making everyone stare at him like he's a crazy person.

"I have no idea what that is." Alec responded dryly.

"But you just made a reference!"

"In the future."

"Oh, right."

**"I'm not that much younger than you, you know," Clary said, but a second later her eyes widened as the nature of his advice hit her. "Wait a second, since when do you know classic movie references?"**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**"Oh, don't play dumb with me Lightwood," she said, calling his bluff. "Has Magnus been taking you to the cinema?"**

"That explains it." Jace said at the same time as Izzy, Clary and Lydia 'awwwwed'

**Alec rolled his eyes at her, but neither confirmed nor denied her inquiry. "Get back to work Fray."**

**Clary did as she was told with a chuckle. She let a few arrows fly in quick succession, each just inches away from her goal. Clary breathed and tried not to let it get her upset, instead falling into a rhythm as she fired arrow after arrow at her target. She stayed in this zone until a familiar male voice abruptly pulled her out of it — a voice that was definitely not Alec's.**

**"I've gotta say, I'm impressed you two have made this arrangement work for this long," Jace said from behind her.**

Most of the shadowhunters in the room nodded at this.

**Clary, who was just about to let another arrow go when Jace spoke up, let out a squeak and jerked in her position, her arrow landing nowhere near the target. The sound of Jace's laughter made her huff and spin around to glare at the two men. She glared especially hard at Alec, who was shaking his head at her, the smug look on his face showing that he was both amused and unimpressed by her performance.**

**"Shut up," she said to Jace, who was covering his face with his hand to muffle his giggles. "You distracted me!"**

"And don't we know it."

"Shut up Izzy." Clary whined.

"Aw, don't be upset," Jace said. "I thought it was cute."

**"It's not going to be cute when she accidentally hits an innocent bystander because she was distracted on a mission," Alec said. "Again, Fray, we _really_ need to work on your awareness of your surroundings."**

"Way to ruin the mood Alec." Jace said with multiple others laughing

**"My awareness is fine, Alec," Clary argued. "It was just because of Jace. I bet if Magnus showed up to our practice unannounced it would catch you off guard too!"  
**

Alec's face went red from this along with the wolf whistles behind him.

**"I can assure you it wouldn't," Alec said in a flat voice. "But thanks for that observation. I'll make sure to avoid assigning you and Jace on missions together in the future."**

**With that, Alec shooed Jace out of the training room, ignoring both his and Clary's protests at his last statement.**

**The next day, Clary was watching Alec shoot, taking in his posture and focus as he hit the bullseye time and again. Alec thought that this portion of their practice was lasting much longer than usual, but when he asked about it, Clary assured him that she wanted to spend more time on it that day. She believed something about her stance was holding her back from improving her aim.**

**They were about twenty minutes in when Clary's eyes caught something behind Alec's back, and her expression brightened into a beaming smile that was far too innocent to be genuine.**

**"Hi there Magnus!" Clary said, her shit-eating grin turning to Alec the next second.**

"I hate you Fray."

**"Don't mind me biscuit, I'm just enjoying the view," Magnus' smooth voice said from a few feet away. Just as he finished speaking, the sound of an arrow burying itself in the center of a target punctuated Magnus' last word.  
**

"Oh and how I love it." Magnus said causing the Lightwood next to him to blush once again.

**Clary looked at Alec in awe as he let his bow fall to the side, shooting a wide smirk in her direction. He turned to Magnus, who was raking his eyes down Alec's form, and held out his hand to invite the warlock closer, his arm wrapping his waist once he was.  
**

"I see you big bro." Izzy said with a smug smirk.

"Why are you guys like this?"

**"Piece of advice," Alec said to Clary, pressing a quick kiss to Magnus' temple. "Don't let your loved ones be a distraction. They should motivate you to be better, not drag you down."**

**Clary continued to gape at him, watching as Magnus positively glowed at Alec's words. Shaking herself out of it, she cleared her throat and simply said, "Noted."**

**Alec nodded at her, and Magnus took the moment of silence as an opportunity to speak up. "On that note, I'm afraid you two will have to cut this session short today. I, uh, I just remembered that I need to speak with Alexander about something. It's quite urgent," he said, the expression on both Alec and Clary's faces showing that he wasn't fooling either of them. Magnus didn't give them a chance to call him on it though, as he grabbed Alec's hand and started dragging him out of the training room a second later, calling out, "Have a good day biscuit!"**

"Are you sure were reading about Alec and not someone else." Izzy said with her friends and sibling, besides Alec, snorting.

**Clary shook her head at them, laughing as she clearly heard Magnus say, _"That was so hot,"_ as the two men entered the hallway.  
**

Alec choked on a strawberry at this(and stopped right after), which caused almost everyone in the room to laugh.

**"Maybe I'm a lost cause."**

**Alec looked up from where he was checking Clary's foot position. "You are not giving up on me Fray. It's not your style."**

**"I don't want to give up Alec, but what if this weapon just wasn't meant for me?" Clary asked, feeling about two inches tall.**

**"I told you, all you need to do is—"**

**"But I've been practicing Alec! We've been practicing every day for months now, and still nothing! The closest I've gotten is the outer bullseye. I'm never going to be able to use a bow in battle if I can't even aim correctly!"**

**"It took me over a year of training before I hit my first bullseye," Alec said, his voice much gentler than she was used to.**

**"But you were just a little kid when you first started practicing with it, not a fully grown shadowhunter, and you said you mostly trained yourself. You didn't have a professional holding your hand the entire time."**

**Alec sighed as he looked at Clary's hopeless expression. "Clary, it's not supposed to be easy. Like any skill, this takes some time to get right. It's unreasonable to expect that you'll be perfect right off the bat. That doesn't mean you should throw in the towel. Even if it doesn't become your go-to weapon on missions, you never know if you're going to need it in the future."**

"I hate it when your right." Clary groaned out.

**Clary groaned and rubbed her face with her hand, giving away her exhaustion. "You're really annoying when you're right, you know that?"  
**

Clary looked at Alec with an 'I told you so' look.

**Alec shrugged, patting her shoulder once. "You'll thank me later. Now let's get back to it."**

**Their training sessions continued the same way for the next several weeks, Clary clearly frustrated at her lack of improvement, but refusing to give up. Alec remained as patient as ever, assuring her that just because her aim wasn't perfect yet, that didn't mean she was failing. His calm attitude was a little bizarre, and Clary found herself almost hoping that one day Alec would yell at her instead, more used to the harsh instructor she worked with previously.**

**One of their sessions on a random Thursday found Clary back in the same place again, in her zone as she fired arrows at the multiple targets Alec had scattered throughout the room. She was so focused, she almost forgot about Alec standing behind her. She was reminded of his presence all of a sudden when she heard a sharp intake of breath coming from his direction.**

**"What?" Clary asked, turning around to find Alec staring wide-eyed at the target she just took a shot at. Slowly, she spun back around, and gaped at the sight of an arrow firmly stuck dead in the center.**

"OH MY GOD!"

"Clary it isn't that big of a deal it's ju-"

"ISN'T A BIG DEAL MY ASS!!! WHOOO!! I FUCKING HIT THE CENTER!!"

Everyone looked at Clary like she lost her mind.

"THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!"

"Don't worry she always like this when she does something she deems impossible." Luke said with a fond smile and a shake of his head, with Clary's screaming still in the background.

**"Did I do that?" She gasped, twirling to face Alec again. The shadowhunter still looked stunned, but he nodded several times in answer. Clary laughed out loud in astonishment and relief. "Oh my god, Alec!"  
**

"See." Luke said as he read the paragraph.

**Clary ran at him then, not thinking twice about her actions as she flung her arms tightly around his neck. She was so overjoyed at her accomplishment that it didn't occur to her until a few seconds later that she not only hugged Alec, but that Alec was actually hugging her back, their embrace shaking slightly as he let out a few soft laughs.  
**

"This really can't be Alec. I know I've only known him for a short amount of time, but this definitely doesn't seems like something he would do with Clary, maybe you, Izzy or even Jace, but not with Clary." Simon said to Magnus.

"Whatever you say Sheldon."

**Determined not to let the surprise show on her face, Clary tried to school her expression into something neutral when they pulled away. But her shock increased at the sight of Alec's huge smile at her.**

**"I'm proud of you Fray," he said.**

**That, even more so than seeing her first bullseye with her own eyes, made a giddiness swell in Clary's chest until she felt like she was about to burst. "Thank you Alec."**

**Alec smiled again, clapping a hand on Clary's shoulder and then moving to pick up some of his stuff. "You deserve a break after that performance, I think. Why don't we call it a day and pick this up again tomorrow?"**

"He's like a whole different person."

"I know right." Izzy said agreeing with her brother's parabatai.

**Clary scoffed at him. "Are you kidding? I don't want to stop now! I need to do that again," she said, picking up the bow and resuming her stance in front of the targets. Behind her, Alec's approving eyes watched on.  
**

"Totally different person."

**Just because Clary had hit a bullseye once, that did not mean she was as successful every time in their following practices. Most of time time, she still strayed around the outer circle, but now that she knew it was possible, she started hitting the center more consistently.**

**Despite the evidence that she was no longer a novice, Alec still attended each of her morning training sessions. He continued to give her notes on her form, making sure she did not move backwards. She could see that he truly cared about her progress, and she appreciated it.**

**This morning, however, Alec was far more distracted than usual, with longer gaps in between his advice. Every now and again, Clary would turn around to ask him a question about her technique, and would find his unfocused gaze looking away from her.**

Izzy hummed at this.

**"Okay, what is going on with you?" Clary finally asked the third time she turned to see him zoned out.**

**Alec jerked at the sound of her voice, suddenly alert eyes locking with hers. "Sorry, what?"**

**"You've been out of it all day Alec, what's up?"**

**For a moment, Alec looked like he was going to deny it, but then he sighed and buried his head in his hands. "My one-year anniversary with Magnus is coming up next week," he mumbled through his fingers.**

Everyone payed real close attention to this, especially the Clave and Magnus, but for totally different reasons.

**"And that's a bad thing because...?"**

**"Because I have no idea what to get him!" Alec burst out. "What kind of present do you get for someone like Magnus, who has already experienced every luxury known to mankind?"**

Magnus sighed in relief at this, along with most of the crowd besides the Clave, they were just being hella bitchy.

**Clary raised her eyebrows, taken aback by how upset Alec appeared by this. She never thought Alec would be someone who let minor relationship things get to him, especially since his relationship with Magnus seemed so solid.  
**

"Then you don't know him well enough." Izzy said.

**"I think the fact that Magnus has already had all these extravagant things is exactly why he appreciates the simple things, like spending time with you," she said. Alec grunted and rolled his eyes, clearly not buying her words. "I'm serious Alec. I bet Magnus would be just as happy to shoot pool with you at the Hunter's Moon as he would be with sampling expensive wine on a mountaintop and watching the sunset in Sicily. All that matters to him is being with you."  
**

"She's not wrong you know." Magnus said, placing his hands on Alec. Alec flushed at the words along with the warlock's actions, happy knowing that all Magnus needs to be happy is to be with him.

The crowd quietly 'awwwwed' at this, causing Magnus to snort(in the most regal way possible) and Alec's face to turn into the darkest shade of red you've ever seen.

**Alec's expression softened as Clary spoke, until a small smile quirked the corner of his lips. He shrugged. "So, what? You think I should just take him to the Hunter's Moon for our anniversary? Seems kind of underwhelming. We go there at least once a week."**

**"I don't know what you should do. But I do know that the best gift you can give Magnus is your company," Clary said. Her eyes brightened as an idea occurred to her. "Hey, why don't you take that entire day off? I'm sure you two could figure out something incredibly romantic together if you're given a whole twenty-four hours to do it."**

**Alec was clearly tempted by the idea, but wasn't totally convinced. "I don't know... I can't just abandon the Institute for that long."**

**"Jace, Izzy and I can handle your responsibilities for a day — we'll call you if a huge emergency comes up," she defended at Alec's disbelieving look. "Come on, you two deserve a break. With how busy you both are, you probably get no more than a few hours together every day. You've earned some alone time."**

**Alec remained silent for a long moment. Finally, with a heavy sigh, "Fine," he said. He gave her a small, but genuine smile. "Thank you." Clary just beamed at him in response, saying nothing. A second later Alec huffed and, with an eye roll, gestured back at the targets. "Alright, social hour's over. Back to practice."**

"This is the most heartfelt thing I've ever read." Simon said with tears rimming his eyes. Jace just looked at him with a face full of confusion and disbelief, he just decided to let it go, knowing that Simon is honestly just a dramatic bitch and the type that would bawl over cheesy romance movies.

**"What on earth are you doing here Fray?"**

**Clary groaned, cursing herself for choosing to practice at a time when she knew Alec was still in the Institute. Instead of coming up with a weak excuse, she turned to face Alec head on. "What does it look like Lightwood? I'm practicing."**

**"You should be resting," Alec said.**

**Clary rolled her eyes at him and looked down to ready another arrow. "I'm fine."**

**"No, you're not. You are very clearly not fine," he said, gesturing at her left leg, the bottom half of which was wrapped up in a bulky cast.**

"Why does this shit always happen to you?" Lydia asked.

Clary just answered with another shrug of her shoulders.

**Clary didn't really know why she was pretending she wasn't upset. She knew Alec knew she was, and he knew why.**

**Less than a day ago, Clary was assigned on a mission with two other shadowhunters to investigate a recent demon outbreak near Pier 17 in lower Manhattan. It was the first time Alec allowed her to take a bow and arrow onto the field.**

**Just a few hours after sending them off, Alec learned that Clary was back at the Institute in the infirmary with a shattered tibia. Apparently, in the middle of the fight, while she was focused on something else, a demon was able to land a solid bite on her calf, its venom disintegrating part of the bone. With how deep the wound was, her injury couldn't be healed with a simple iratze. She would be recovering for weeks, and Clary knew she would probably be on the bench for even longer than that.**

Everyone that considered Clary a friend was horrified at this, especially the Lightwoods, Magnus, Lydia and Luke.

**"Last night won't happen again if I continue practicing — just like you told me, right?" Clary said.**

**"I thought we went over this before," Alec said, exasperated by her attitude. "Too much practice can hurt you more than you already are. You just got out of the infirmary. Go get some sleep."**

**_"I can't sleep, okay?"_ Clary yelled, Alec's order the final straw to her short temper. "Because I'm already a failure, and I can't afford to let myself fall even further!"**

**Alec remained silent after her outburst. Instead of continuing her practice, Clary dropped her bow and let herself fall against the nearest bench, fatigue hitting her in a sudden wave. She closed her eyes, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her, and felt Alec sitting next to her a few seconds later.**

**"What exactly happened last night, if you don't mind me asking?" Alec said after a moment.**

**Clary almost didn't answer him. Just the thought of reliving the memory embarrassed her. But as the Head of the Institute and her mentor, Clary knew Alec deserved to know.**

**"The, uh, the demons we were facing mostly liked to stay close to the ground, but they had the capacity to go airborne. The three of us were focused on a swarm that was crawling all around us, but out of the corner of my eye I saw one flying straight for Goodfeld. His back was facing it — I, I had to do something. But shooting it down allowed one of the other demons I was fending off to get my leg."**

Goodfeld thanked Clary feverishly for this, along with the rest of his family, thanking her for keeping him safe and apologized just as much for her leg, if not more.

**While she spoke, Alec was nodding along with her, no judgment in his gaze. "Part of using a bow effectively in battle is prioritizing your enemies. The demons on the ground were your immediate threat, not the one in flight."**

**"I couldn't just let him die!" Clary protested. "He's just a kid. I..."**

**And suddenly Alec understood. Though Clary was still very new to shadowhunting, she was far from the youngest at the Institute. Shadowhunters started their work early in life, and Goodfeld was one of their newest recruits, a few years younger than Clary. In training, they're taught not to pay attention to things like age during battle, but it made sense that someone like Clary would not be able to stop herself from jumping in front of danger if it meant saving someone else.**

"I'm just now seeing how similar Alec and Clary are." Jace said with scattered noises of agreement across the room.

**Alec stoop up from the bench to grab the bow Clary dropped, but instead of going in front of the targets, he stayed where he was, fiddling with the string absently. "You know, for most of my own training I was terrified of going on the field," he said, Clary staring at him in disbelief. "It wasn't because I was scared for my own life, but more because I knew Jace and Izzy would be cleared for field work at around the same time as I was. Even though I was older, Jace was clearly the best among us and Izzy was excelling rapidly."  
**

Jace and Izzy just smirked in the most smuggest way possible, causing Maryse to sigh at their behavior.

**"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Clary said.  
**

**Alec smirked, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "I figured this out early on, and it scared the hell out of me. Even though I knew they were both incredibly gifted, I was still the oldest child. It's my job to protect them, and I wasn't sure I would be able to... So I started practicing with a bow and arrow."  
**

"Have I told you how much of an awesome brother you are?" Izzy asked.

"Not yet, no."

**Clary's eyes widened when she realized Alec was finally giving her the answer to the question that first started their training sessions. Though he had her full attention, Alec still wouldn't make eye contact with her, instead examining the bow in his hands.**

**"It's one of the most defensive weapons shadowhunters have to work with. I thought that even if I could never be as good as Jace or Izzy in close-range combat, I could still protect them by keeping their most dangerous opponents from getting close to them," he said.**

**After a moment to let Alec's words sink in, Clary asked, "Why didn't you tell me that before?" That was far from a dishonorable answer as far as Clary was concerned. She didn't understand why Alec would be hesitant to tell anyone that.**

All the shadowhunters were quiet, thinking the story would explain the reason why.

**"Because that isn't why shadowhunters are supposed to choose their signature weapons. We're supposed to choose them because something draws us to them, some higher power giving us a sign that this is the tool that will lead us to the most success in battle," he said, shaking his head slightly at the idea. "I was drawn to the bow for a much different reason, but I didn't want anyone to figure that out, so I practiced even harder. I learned at a fast enough pace to convince people that I was always meant to use a bow... that I was normal."  
**

"Excuse my language, but that is fucking bullshit." Catarina said,shocking everyone(besides Magnus, he knows how badass his Cat can be).

"You would rather a shadowhunter, a being created to defend mundanes and other defenseless creatures from demons, to choose a weapon that will make them look good than to actually help save people? That's fucking shit." She said, gaining looks of support from Raphael, Ragnor, Magnus AND Edith(the caretaker of the kids of the orphanage)

"You should choose the weapon or weapons you think would actually save people, not because you want to look like some kind of majestic guardian or whatever the hell you want to be. I understand if you want to choose a cool weapon, but you need to choose them for the right reason. Not to look good in front of some posse." That was the last thing she said before she heard Ragnor and Magnus complimenting how much of bad bitch she is(I fucking love Cat).

**Clary sucked in a breath at Alec's words. She'd had a good idea of how difficult each of the Lightwood's childhoods were based on passing comments here and there, but she knew the least about Alec's. Now, as she put more thought into it, she realized how tough it must have been. He was obviously under a lot of pressure when she first met him, from his parents and everything else that was going on, but it never occurred to her that it was something he had been dealing with his entire life.  
**

Maryse looked down at this, can't believing that she let herself turn into the kind of parent that their kids feel like is putting too much pressure on them. From now on she promises to be the best parent she can(Maryse had the greatest character development, FIGHT ME).

**In front of her, Alec continued. "I was right. Jace, Izzy and I entered the field in the same week, and I was good enough with a bow that I could protect them from oncoming threats," Alec paused, and Clary could see him pursing his lips. "But within our first year, I was sent to the infirmary more than either Jace or Izzy — more than any other shadowhunter at the Institute, as a matter of fact. I didn't really care. It was a natural instinct for me to throw myself in front of danger when my siblings were at risk. It's still an instinct I have to fight most of the time. Izzy was finally the one who knocked some sense into me after one too many close calls."  
**

"You can betcha'ass I did."

**Alec took a moment to squat in front of Clary so he was at her eye level. "What I'm trying to say is that I understand where you're coming from Clary. But as tempting as it can be to sacrifice your own safety to save someone else, you have to remember that your life matters just as much. If last night had been worse, you would have left behind a lot of people who care about you — Jace, Izzy, and myself included," he said, a warm smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Shadowhunters understand that we might die young, but you don't want to go out because of something that could have been easily prevented... Just, in the future, promise me that you'll make your own safety a higher priority, okay?"  
**

Clary smiled at this, happy knowing that Alec truly did care about her, even if he doesn't so it.

**Clary, with her eyes locked on the serious look Alec was giving her, nodded once and then reached out to pull Alec into her, burying her face in his shoulder. Alec gripped her just as tightly, and Clary realized that while this was by far the nicest Alec had ever been to her, it didn't feel weird at all.  
**

"Awww" Magnus sighed softly. Alec heard this and gave the warlock a look. "You can't judge me, this is adorable." Alec just rolled his eyes and went back to reading the story.

**Alec pulled away a few seconds later, standing up and offering his hand to help Clary up as well. "Now, I want you to try and get some rest. We can pick our practices back up in a couple days if you're feeling better, but you really do need to wait until your leg is more healed before you can properly train again."**

**Clary sighed, disappointed that she would be relatively useless during her recovery, but she knew she had no room to argue after Alec's speech. She held out a hand, "Deal."**

**Alec grinned and extended his own to shake hers. "I'm glad you're okay Clary."**

**"So am I."**

"You're bonding." Simon whispered-shouted with a goofy(yet totally adorable) expression.

**Izzy laughed, stumbling out of the lively atmosphere of the Hunter's Moon, and almost ran straight into Magnus' chest, steadied only by the warlock's arm holding her shoulders.  
**

Maryse pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed out once she realized Isabelle was drunk.

**"You okay there dear?" Magnus asked.**

**She nodded eagerly with a beaming smile, giggling at Magnus' unconvinced expression. "Never better," she said as she counted the heads in their little group, fighting through the fuzzy edges of her vision. "We're missing people!" Izzy said, locking eyes with Magnus, Simon, and Alec.**

**"I think they're in there," Alec said helpfully, pointing at the Hunter's Moon before letting his arm flop back at his side.**

'This is new.' Maryse thought, referring to Alec drinking.

**Izzy spun around to look inside the bar, ignoring Magnus' hand still on her shoulder keeping her upright. She spotted what she was looking for a second later and rolled her eyes, shouting into the building. "Jace! Clary! We're leaving now, with or without you, so I suggest you stop making out for two seconds before you're stuck splitting a cab ride home!"**

**As Simon cackled, Magnus held up a finger to correct her. "Actually Isabelle, I'm afraid it wouldn't be especially safe for me to portal us anywhere while I'm in this state."**

**Izzy squinted at him, her eyes scanning the warlock, who still looked as polished as ever. "You look perfectly fine to me."**

**"On the contrary, while I may appear composed, I fear I've had one too many tonight... or maybe two too many," Magnus said, the gentle sway in his shoulders the only hint at his true state. Shifting his eyes to the side, he sent Alec a mild glare. "Your older brother over here had the wonderful idea to kick off our billiards game with a few tequila shots, which may or may not be my one weakness."**

"I'll remember that next time." Izzy said with a smirk stretched across her face.

**Alec scoffed, glazed eyes staring warmly at Magnus as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist from behind. "It was only fair. You know my tolerance is much lower than yours. I was just balancing the playing field," he said into Magnus' hair.**

**"Mmm, it didn't stop me from kicking your ass either way," Magnus retorted, but he didn't stop himself from melting back into Alec's chest.**

Simon and Izzy were quietly *cough cough loudly* fangirling at this.

**"Well, I guess we're walking then. It's a beautiful night for it anyway," Izzy said, snapping her fingers at Simon, who was nodding off against a light pole. "Come on! We're heading out."**

**Simon rubbed his eyes with one hand, gesturing back at the bar with the other. "But... Jace and Clary?" He mumbled.**

**"They'll catch up," she reassured him, linking arms with the vampire and jogging unsteadily to reach Magnus and Alec, who were already halfway down the block.**

**They'd made it a few blocks down, laughing as they regaled some of the highlights of their night, when they heard a familiar voice call out, "Hey Lightwood! Watch your back!"**

**Izzy turned automatically, seeing Jace and Clary a few yards behind them. It was Clary who had spoken up, and Izzy and Jace watched, confused as the redhead took off at a sprint toward Alec. Alec did not even turn around, but Izzy saw him smirk and lower himself slightly, seeming totally prepared as Clary ran and jumped at his back, arms wrapping around his neck, and Alec's arms moving to grip Clary's legs.**

"You two most certainly got closer." Jace commented.

"Oh shut up, you have nothing to worry about." Clary said pushing her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Yeah, it's not like Alec is going to steal her away." Izzy said.

The three(plus Simon) broke into a fit a laughter while Alec wondered why he even hangs around them anymore.

**Leaving their friends gaping behind them, Alec laughed at her. "Didn't I say this would happen Fray? I told you not to wear those heels."**

**"I never said anything about my heels," Clary denied. "Maybe I just wanted a free ride home?"**

**Alec scoffed. "Well, in that case," he said, arms gradually relaxing around Clary's knees.**

**In a sudden panic, Clary's arms grappled more firmly around Alec's neck. "Wait no, stop! My feet are about to fall off!" Alec cracked up at her hysteria, but he did not let go of her. Clary smacked his shoulder in response. "Oh, just shut up and take us home."**

"You act just like Izzy." Jace sighed out, suddenly feeling like those two being friends might not be the best thing for him. (Poor Jace)

**"But, Clary, I don't even know where you're referring to," Alec said, a slur edging into his words. "The Institute is your home, but I don't really want to go there right now. My home is Magnus' loft, but I don't think you live there unless I missed something major tonight. You'll have to be more specific!"**

**Clary hit him again, but couldn't help snickering at Alec's ramblings until both of them were giggling helplessly against each other. Alec stumbled slightly, trying to maintain his balance while he was both drunk and holding Clary on his back, which only served to set their laughter off further.**

**A few minutes after they both calmed down, Clary's head perked up off of Alec's shoulder as she got an idea. "Hey! Do you think Magnus would be okay with us crashing at your place tonight? I don't think Underhill would be very impressed if we showed up at the Institute like this, and Magnus' couches are more comfortable than the beds there anyway."**

Andrew(Underhill) looked shocked at being mentioned in the story.

**"Of course they are! They're called memory foam!" He said, sending Clary into another round of giggles. "Lemme ask him. Hey babe," Alec started, but he paused when he glanced to the side and didn't see Magnus next to him. Brows furrowed in confusion, he looked to the other side and gasped when he didn't see his boyfriend over there either. "Clary? Where'd our friends go?"  
**

"You ran off without us."

Clary's face fell as she looked around with Alec, a trickle of fear running down her spine when she could only see a few bemused strangers in front of them. Alec suddenly pivoted around, and Clary gripped his shoulders tighter as a wave of dizziness rushed over her. Her dizzy spell was quickly replaced with euphoria when she felt Alec let out a sigh of relief under her.

"There you guys are! What are you doing all the way back there?" Alec yelled out, and Clary looked up to see their four friends staring at them about a block away, back where Clary and Jace first caught up with them.

"Hey Magnus! Could we sleep over at your house tonight? I promise we won't stay up the whole night watching scary movies! Simon will get nightmares!" Clary said, causing Alec to snort.

Back where the other four were standing, Jace and Simon locked eyes in astonishment, both equally perplexed at the sight of Alec and Clary getting on like a house on fire.

Magnus was the first to recover from his shock. Shaking himself slightly, he started walking toward them. "Our loft is closer anyway. You are all very welcome to stay the night, as long as you don't destroy the place."

Over the sound of Alec and Clary's cheers, Magnus turned back to the other three, raising his shoulders in a shrug. As far as he was concerned, as long as those two weren't at each other's throats, a sober explanation could wait until the morning.

"That was adorable." Simon said as he wiped his eyes(I love making him dramatic).

"I agree Sheldon."

"My name is Simon.

"Got it Symoné."

"......."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm so fucking sorry for not updating in forever, it's just with the corona it's really hard for me to actually motivate myself to do shit. I've literally just got back into doing the swing of things, kind of. I have too much free time on my hands, it probably doesn't make sense but I work better when I actually HAVE to get it done. Like when you have homework and it's due the next day, that's how I am with my stories but only they are way more enjoyable. Also, do you think I use too much commas in my stories?


	17. Malec Moments Pt.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Suicide Attempt warning* Proceed with caution

Alec turns to Magnus with a raised eyebrow and a _look_ , one that makes Magnus feel guilty for some reason.

"What?" The warlock asked.

"You know what I'm thinking." Alec said in a bored tone.

"Yes, but-"

"No."

"But I-" 

"No."

Magnus looked at Alec for a second before he let out a large groan and turned to Simon.

"I'm not saying that I will call you but your real name, but I will make more of an effort." He said to the mundane before turning back to his significant other. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Simon questioned. "Just go with it." Jace whispered to his friend(?). 

"You could've done better than that." Alec whispered to his boyfriend. "Where's the fun in that?" Magnus asked with a smirk playing on his lips. The shadowhunter just shakes his head fondly at the warlock's actions, wondering how he got lucky enough to get a guy like this.

After about like 20 something minutes I decided to get my lazy ass up and the crowd what they're going to watch today.

"Wassup." I said to the crowd with an awkward hand wave.

Some looked at with a confused look, some didn't even acknowledge me existence and some were nice enough to give me an awkward wave back(Clary, Simon and Lydia).

"I've decided it's the time." I said in the most serious and ominous voice ever.

"Time for what?" Jace asked with a confused face matching most of the faces in the crowd.

"Time for you to react to some Malec video. What else dipshit?" I said with a 'are you fucking dumb' look on my face.

Due to this, scattered laughs and other expressions of amusement went throughout the crowd. Jace looked like he was about to say something, but before he could I snapped my fingers and put the first Malec video on the screen.

Everyone was silent.

They were just staring at the screen, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to react. 

There were faces of guilt and sadness all over the crowd, especially from the Lightwoods, Magnus, Simon and Clary.

Izzy had tears running down her cheeks, Maryse was in the same state.

Jace looked at his parabatai with a guilty expression, wishing that he could've seen that Alec was hurting earlier. To him it didn't matter that all this placed in the future, he didn't care that the evens that pushed Alec to this extreme hasn't took place yet. The only thing on his mind is how he didn't see or _feel_ how his brother was doing. He couldn't believe that he became so blind. If Magnus wasn't there, _god,_ he didn't even want to think about this could've ended up.

Clary was in a similar state, she was guilty, she was mad, she was scared. She was guilty for how this was her fault, it was her that got Alec on that ledge, it was her that made Alec want to jump off, it was _her_ that started all of this. It was her fault that Alec felt this way, for making him feel so, so, she didn't even have the word for how she made him feel, she couldn't _think_ how she made him feel, how scared and guilty she made him feel. And she was mad, she was furious, she was boiling. She was mad at _herself,_ she was made at whatever spell that was clearly placed on everyone, she was mad at whoever casted such a horrible spell. But she was also scared. She was scared at how this could've played out if Magnus wasn't there, she was scared of how guilty Alec felt, and she was scared of how she could've let something like this happened. She was terrified.

Magnus was fucking _livid_. One glance at him and you could see he was pissed. He was furious at the person who decided it would be a good distract him by playing with a person's feelings, he was furious that this spell made Alec go to such extreme actions, he was pissed that a person did this for his spellbook. Yes, it's a spellbook that contains some of the most powerful and advanced spells ever created, but he almost lost one of the few people he holds close to his heart, he almost lost _Alexander._ Mangus let that sink in for minute. He almost lost _Alexander_. _Oh God_. _He almost lost Alexander._ He almost lost the one person who didn't judge him for his warlock mark, the one person that didn't judge him for his past mistakes, he almost lost the person that most likely wouldn't have judged him for his parentage. He almost lost the person that loves all of him. He almost lost the love of his life.

Magnus turned to the shadowhunter next to him, his cheeks now stained with tears. "I'm so sorry." The warlock croaked out in the softest voice he has ever heard himself take on. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He said with his voice now quaking. 

Alec turned to the warlock with a monotone face, there was no sign of guilt, anger, fear or sadness. It was just. Empty. That's what his face showed, but his eyes. His eyes are a whole different story. You could see how scared and vulnerable he was, you could see all of the sadness and guilt, you could see all of it. Magnus could see all of it. And Alec knew, he knew he couldn't try to hide anything from the warlock, he knew that he would see right through he facade. He knew that Magnus could see it all, but that didn't stop him from trying.

Alec softly grabbed his lover's face, stroking his thumbs gently across the man face to wipe away all the tears.

"It's ok." He whispered.

"No." A stern, yet shaking voice said behind him.

"It's not ok." 

Alec turned to see no other than Clary Fairchild, a tear stained, furious Clary Fairchild.

"How could you ever think that something like this is ok?!" She screamed, more tears rushing out of her eyes.

"Clary." Izzy said softly, attempting to calm the girl.

Either Clary didn't hear her or she didn't care, it was most likely a mix of both. She was focusing on Alec and only Alec, everything was either buzzed or blurred out. The only thing she was set on was making sure that he wasn't alone. Making sure that he would never feel alone again. She wants him to know that she doesn't blame him for her mother's death. She wanted to make sure that it wasn't Alec's fault, but the demon that possessed him.

Now Clary really isn't sure what happened. The only thing she knows is that Alec _didn't_ kill her mother and that he was clearly real fucking guilty about it. She knows that Alec wouldn't kill anyone, not an innocent person and certainly not anyone that's close to his family and friends. That just isn't something Alec would do. Clary _knows_ that it was something that he would _never_ do. Not unless he had no choice but too.

"It's never ok to blame yourself for something you couldn't stop." The redhead said in a calmer tone. She saw Alec about to say something, most likely about how he shouldn't have let that demon possess him. She wasn't about to let that happen.

"I know that this technically didn't happen yet, and that you haven't went through all of those traumatic events , but I _know_ that you are blaming yourself and I _know_ that you're trying to think of every possible way to show me that you're sorry. Hell, you might be even thinking about how I wouldn't even want you near me. But that isn't true. I already lost my mother to a demon. I don't want to have to lose my brother too." By the time Clary was finished speak she had another set of fresh tears falling from her cheeks.

Everyone watched the interaction between the two, wondering how the young Lightwood would react. To everyone's surprise it was actually Clary that made the next move. She walked out of her row and went towards the one in the front where Alec was seated. She moved forward to give the shadowhunter a hug, but before she could Alec already moved to give the girl a hug, one that basically knocked all of the air out of her. After recovering from her shock, she immediately went to hug the Lightwood back. After a few seconds all of the Lightwoods(minus Robert, plus Magnus and Simon) went over to the front and joined in on the hug which soon became a puppy pile.

Magnus used his magic to expand the seats a little, giving everyone room to sit near the oldest Lightwood sibling. 

Magnus was sitting at Alec left (with Madzie leaning on the warlock), leaning into his boyfriend. Maryse was on Alec's right, also leaning into her son. Izzy was sideways in Alec's lap with her feet on Magnus lap, not that the warlock or her brother minded at all, in fact they welcomed it. Jace was on the groud, by choice, on Alec's right with his head leaning on his parabatai's legs. Clary was on Alec's left, leaning on Izzy's thighs(which were weirdly comfortable for both girls). Simon was sitting in the middle of Clary and Jace leaning on Clary's shoulder. Max was also sitting sideways on his mother's lap, leaning back on her with his feet angling of the now turned couch.

After everyone was seated and comfortable I started the next video.

"Nana!" Madzie cried out when she saw Magnus portal her away. The little warlock knew that it was her Nana that hurt Alec, but she still cared for her. She was still the woman that raised her.

Magnus looked at the child and brought her closer, giving her a little side hug, promising to himself to find the girl a good home where she wouldn't be in danger.

The cuddle group on Alec's left leaned closer to Magnus, in signs of comfort, also showing him that he wasn't alone. Maryse also flashed the warlock a smile, showing that she'll be there for him when he needs her to be.

Ragnor, Raphael and Catarina all came over and sat near Magnus. Cat was now leaning on Magnus with Madzie in her lap, Magnus saw how close the two were in a just a little bit of time and knew exactly who to have look after the little warlock. Ragnor sat on the ground, surprisingly willingly, but not before putting a sating pillow down first. He was sitting infront of Magnus, leaning back on the younger warlock. Raphael was on Magnus's left, also on the ground(he put his jacket down first), leaning on the man he considers a father.

After they got comfortable I played the next video.

(Pretend Valentine didn't call Clary)

"I hate him so much." Clary gritted out. 

"I'm pretty sure we all do." Jace said bitterly.

"What kind of person would use a child like this! For his own personal gain, in such a horrible way!" The Fairchild cried out.

"Don't worry I know we'll find her soon." Jace said as he gave his girlfriend a smile. "And besides she saved Alec, we can reach out to her. And she clearly isn't under any kind of control. Valentine must be keeping her another way." He said the last sentence bitterly, wishing he could kill that man himself for keeping the girl against her will.

"Freaking bastard." Jace hissed.

"I thought that we were supposed to be watching happy videos." Izzy said with a pout.

"Just watch and wait." I told the girl before I started the next video.

"What?" Jace asked, not being able to finish his sentence.

"So basically Valentine tricked you and well this is the result." I said to the man.

"Don't worry we'll get to the happy moments soon." I said to the crowd.

"THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!" Izzy screeched right next to her brother and his boyfriend.

"Why do you have to be so loud?" 

"Sorry Alec, it's just how I am." She said, not sorry at all.

"THAT PIECE OF SHIT!" Izzy screamed. "Who the hell does that?"

"Valentine apparently." Alec said bitterly.

"I'm just glad Jace figured out Alec was right." Clary said with a sigh a relief.

"Me and you both." Magnus said, leaning in closer to his boyfriend.

The clave look at this in surprise.

I took the opportunity and took a picture, which I later sent to Izzy.

"And you said he wasn't going to be loyal." Clary said with a suck of her teeth.

"Take that bitch." Izzy said with a smirk.

Maryse was going to tell her daughter to stop cursing, but she knew it was a lost cause, especially when it comes to Alec.

"Suck it you wankers!!" Ragnor exclaimed.

Alec shook his head fondly at his friends and family's behavior, wondering how he got himself in the middle of such a rowdy bunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm not gonna lie. I cried at least 5 times when writing this and like 3 times when I watched the first video.


	18. Death Scare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Shit ton of angst warning* Proceed with caution

After the noise in the room started to cease, along with Alec's headache, I decided to drop back in being the little shit I am.

"Who's ready to read more angst!?" I called out to the crowd. All of the responses were somewhere between 'fuck no' and 'why do you feel like torturing us', which I absolutely enjoy.

"Since your opinion doesn't matter, we are going to read angst anyway." I said, snapping my fingers and giving everyone a copy of the story, which they reluctantly took.

"The story we will be reading today is 'angels light that burns' by thesorrowoflizards(AO3)." I said before starting to read.

**Magnus stumbled forward, Madzie still safely wrapped in his arms.**

**He ran.**

**He had to get outside, get Madzie to safety.**

**His wards were down- and new wards, enhanced by one of Valentine's experiments, no doubt- were in their place. He couldn't portal out.**

Everyone scowled at this, hating the man being mentioned.

**Madzie curled closer into his arms. The poor girl was clearly scared, even though she wasn't showing it.**

**He rounded the corner. He recognized the corridor- he was near the exit, he was almost there—**

**Circle members spilled out from the other end of the hallway, armed with their glowing, biting swords, and cruel smiles that were just as sharp.**

**They circled him without a word.**

**Magnus set Madzie down. "Run, sweetheart," he said quietly. "The second I you can, _run._ They've raised heavy wards that have cut off portals, so don't try, okay?"**

**"Enough talking," one of the foot soldiers hissed, and several launched forward at once.**

**Magnus lashed out with his magic, hands blazing crimson and whirling around him. He punched and cast hexes, pulled every move he knew—in both hand-to-hand combat and battle magic—but he was running out of energy.**

**He kept Madzie safe, making sure to shield her even when it began to drain him faster.**

**She got away.**

**Magnus didn't.**

At hearing this, everyone on Magnus's side of the couch leaned closer to him, worried for their friend/family/lover. And the ones that weren't near the warlock also tried their best to get closer to him.

**He was left standing, albeit barely, over the piled-up bodies of unconscious Circle members. He'd barely bested them thanks to how stupidly outnumbered he was, and now he was bruised and bloodied, but alive.**

**He didn't have much time—he ran towards the exit, hoping to get away, get to Catarina or Madzie or—**

**A terrible light filled the hall, spilling from every crack and opening from deep within the Institute.**

**Before Magnus could even react it was surrounding him, and he was crying out in pain—**

**It _burned._**

**Magnus collapsed to the floor as the pain built in his head, his limbs aching and heavy and his very blood boiling with heat, scorched from the inside out—**

Alec flinched at this, worried for his boyfriend, praying to the angels to save his lover.

**He felt dizzy, and whatever noise he had been making—a scream, a cry of his lover's name?—stopped.**

**He parted his lips silently, trying to say something, anything—and the burning pain took over and his vision swam and went fuzzy and then**

**everything**

**went**

**black.**

Many sucked in a breathe, worried for the warlock, praying for his safety.

_**There.** _

**Alec's hands were shaking. Hell, his whole body was shaking.**

**There was a motionless figure slumped on the floor, a figure in a familiar dark suit.**

Alec's heart stopped at this, not being able to bear the though of losing Magnus. The Lightwood went to clench the warlock's hand, but Magnus beat him in a quick second. Gripping onto the younger man's hand like a life line.

_**No. No. No, please no.** _

**Maybe it was someone else. How many times already had Alec caught sight of dull yellow eyes (a young warlock woman, pale and cold) or a ringed hand (a vampire, lips still wrenched apart in a shout of terror) or a head of dark, spiked hair (a werewolf, partially shifted and burned) and thought it was Magnus?**

Many of the downworlders flinched at this, wondering how much of their kind Valentine wiped out.

**How many times had he felt the now awfully familiar rush of terror and pain, only for it to be swallowed by relief and guilt?**

**But as he drew closer, he saw the man's face. The still, outstretched hand, ringed fingers limp and spread open. The parted, cold lips.**

**It was Magnus. Magnus, collapsed on the ground, crumpled in on himself and still, so still, and so cold.**

**He was too late.**

Everyone close to Magnus chocked out a sob, not being able to wrap their head around the thought of Magnus being dead. Everyone near Magnus now started to grip onto the man tightly, never wanting to let him go. Catarina and Madzie on his left arm, Alec on his right, Raphael on his left leg, Ragnor on his right, Izzy also transitioned from Alec's lap to Magnus's, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face into the crook of it, hiding her tear-soaked face from the man. Clary had her face on the side of Magnus knee, wetting his pants with tears. Jace and Simon moved from their spots on the floor and sat closer to the warlock, between Clary and Ragnor to be exact, also holding onto the warlock. Jace also placed his hand onto Alec's bottom left thigh, rubbing his thumb in a comforting motion, trying to calm and comfort his parabatai. Max had his face hidden in his mother's neck, crying from the events in the story. Maryse's eyes were also full of tears, making it hard to see, but still continued to read the story.

**"No..." Alec choked out. He fell to his knees beside the fallen warlock, face a mask of horror and fear and desperation.**

**Magnus's—Magnus's cor—his bo— _Magnus._ Magnus was just lying there. His beautiful golden eyes closed, almost as if he were sleeping.**

More sobs started to come out of the shadowhunters mouth, which was now muffled from his place on Magnus's neck. _(Izzy is on the left side)_

**If it weren't for the way his skin was so pale and his body unnaturally still and his gorgeous features slack and pale, barely any trace of the agony he must've felt left, maybe he could have been.**

**Alec leaned forward, fingertips brushing his cold, cold face.**

**No response.**

**No soft and sleepy smile, no golden eyes fluttering open, no faint stirring and a hum in his chest.**

**Just stillness. Quiet.**

**Alec's hands drew back like he'd been burned, curling in on himself, clutching lightly at his chest. His heart felt like it was ripping in half, like it was burning out of his chest.**

Jace's chest clenched at this, feeling the way his parabatai's chest started to clench as well.

**And then Alec screamed, shattering the silence.**

**It was an awful, horrible, and heartbroken sound.**

Now everyone's heart started to clench, feeling sorry for the young Lightwood and his lover.

**Tears were streaming down his face, his eyes burned and vision blurred but he didn't care because Magnus was... he was...**

**He reached out with a trembling hand to touch his cool skin. "No... _no,_ no, _please no..._ "**

**He hesitantly, sorrowfully lay his hand on Magnus's face as if afraid he'd disintegrate under the touch.**

**Magnus wasn't moving.**

Alec's sobs now started to sound shaky, close to verge of being broken. He leaned even closer to the warlock, trying to grab every part he could. Izzy was now sitting on Jace's lap, trying to give her eldest brother all of the room he needed to grab onto his lover.

**Not too far away, Jace, Izzy, and Clary had gone looking for him.**

**And Jace stumbled as if he'd been punched in the gut.**

**A wave of grief and pain like he'd never felt before slammed into him, awful and powerful and suffocating. His bond was screaming out in pain, burning.**

**"Jace, are you alright?" He heard someone asking.**

**"...Alec," he gasped out. He'd never felt something like this from Alec before. He always kept the bond muted, making sure Jace didn't feel anything too personal.**

**And Jace had a hard enough time reading anything on the bond anyway, with how thin it was.**

**But this? Alec wasn't holding back. He was unhinged. He didn't care about anything but whatever was causing this horrible feeling.**

**And the muted feeling didn't matter when the message being broadcast was so horribly, awfully loud.**

Everyone's heart clenched for a second time, feeling sorry for the shadowhunter once again.

**And a hallway or two away, someone screamed.**

**They looked up. It was an awful scream, full of grief and rage and pain.**

**They exchanged a look before sprinting down the hallway, Jace running after them only a beat slower.**

**Clary was in the lead, and when she rounded the corner, she was met with a heartbreaking sight.**

**Alec was on his knees by a body, face twisted into a look of pure pain. Tears were streaming down his face, his eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, his cheeks flushed, his entire body shaking.**

**"No," he whispering under his breath, over and over. _"No._ No, please, no, _Magnus..._ "**

**Clary had never seen him like this before. He was always so stoic, so strong and steadfast, so held-together. But now the shadowhunter looked utterly _broken,_ awfully young and horrified. He was radiating grief and anger and sadness and pain.**

Max, Madzie, Clary and Izzy whimpered at this.

**He was reaching for the still body- Magnus, it had to be—and scooping him up, lifting his unmoving... his unmoving corpse. " _Magnus,_ " he sobbed quietly. "Please..."**

**Magnus had been in the Institute when the sword as activated.**

Jace flinched at this, knowing that it was him that activated the sword from the videos they just watched.

**Magnus was dead.**

**Clary felt cold. "I'll... I'll go get help," she stuttered out, and she turned and ran.**

Clary sobbed even harder, wishing that she stayed and help comfort Alec instead of running away.

**Jace felt like someone had carved out his heart.**

**He knew most of it was coming from Alec, but he also knew that much of the pain was his own. A cold, deep well of guilt had sprung up in his chest, making him feel hollow and chilled.**

**He'd done this. He'd killed the love of Alec's life. He'd murdered his brother's boyfriend.**

"It wasn't your fault Jace." Isabelle said in a scratchy tone, her throat dry from sobbing.

Jace really wished he was able to believe those words.

**"Alec..." he whispered, barely able to bring his voice to audible level. "I'm... I'm so sorry." His voice cracked.**

**Alec didn't even seem to hear him.**

**He choked out a sob, squeezing his eyes shut. He clutched Magnus's body to his chest, rocking back and forth, quietly sobbing Magnus's name and pleas for this to be a dream.**

**Magnus was still and silent in his arms, his slack face pale and expressionless. His eyes were closed as if he was asleep. His body was motionless and limp.**

**Alec screamed again, crying and holding him closer to his chest. " _Magnus,_ " he sobbed. "Magnus, please... please, come back... Please, you can't be gone, I love you..."**

Magnus started to cry harder once he realizes that this is the first time that Alec said that he loved him. This was the outcome of him not getting outside of the building in time. This is where Alec doesn't get the chance to tell him how scared and worried he was. This isn't where Alec got to say 'I love you' to him when he was alive.

**It’s a horrible, heartbreaking sight. Alec was hugging the dead warlock close, refusing to accept the love of his life was gone.**

**He was still warm. Not as warm as he should be, but… it almost felt like he was still there. Alec let out another soft sob, his cries dying down to small, whimpering sobs.**

**“Alec…” Isabelle said softly, sounding heartbroken but resolute. “Alec, he’s gone.”**

**“No, no, no,” Alec mumbled under his breath, more tears leaking from his eyes. “He’s not… he’s can’t be…”**

**Isabelle stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Alec,” she said gently.**

**He shook her off, shaking his head desperately, denying it. “No, _no…_ ”**

**“Alec, you can’t… he’s gone, brother. I’m sorry,” Jace said, voice weak.**

**“We gotta… Alec, we gotta call Catarina. We gotta take him to the morgue.”**

**They’d been taking the fallen to the Institute’s morgue to make burial preparations and contact next-of-kin. The main hall was for… was for _dead people._ It wasn’t for Magnus. Magnus was endless and beautiful and _alive._ He didn’t belong in a fucking morgue.**

Alec sobbed harder as he tried to bury his face even farther into the warlock's neck.

**“No,” he said, voice firmer than it had been for hours. “ _No,_ you can’t…”**

**He had to be okay. He had to be.**

**They tried to pull him away from Magnus’s body, and he fought them away.**

**“He’s _dead,_ Alec!” Isabelle cried. “He’s gone, and I’m sorry, but he’s _gone.”_**

Both Alec and Isabelle flinched from this. Izzy because of how harsh she was acting, and Alec because of the harsh reality.

**Alec wouldn’t stop shaking his head, rocking back and forth as he held him close. “No, I…”**

**He stopped.**

**Through the hopelessness and despair of the black hole in his chest, he felt something.**

**Magnus… Magnus shifted. Just slightly. He moved. He _moved._**

Many looked up at this, hoping that Magnus could be alive.

**Alec’s eyes widened, and he laughed. High-pitched and desperate and watery, but he laughed. He laughed hysterically, tearfully.  
**

The ones not too overtook by sorrow cringed at this, understanding how it would look for the shadowhunter to have a cry of joy when holding his presumed dead lover

**The others reacted with understandable alarm.**

**“He’s alive,” Alec sobbed, pressing a shaky kiss to Magnus’s slightly parted lips. He was grinning so widely that his face hurt, his chest bright and hot.**

The Lightwoods(minus Robert bc he an ass) started to worry for Alec, hoping that Magnus's death didn't drive him into a state of madness.

**Isabelle and Jace watched in horror as their brother clutched his dead boyfriend close, insisting that he was alive. “He’s okay, it’s okay,” Alec said, voice tearful, “It’s all gonna be okay…”  
**

"Oh Alec." Izzy whispered sorrowfully.

**They tried to drag him off again, trying to pry him away from the body. “No, let me take his pulse, he’s _alive,_ ” he insisted, but they managed to pull him away with their combined effort.**

**“No!” Alec cried, and Magnus slipped from his arms and crashing to the floor.**

**Alec struggled, kicking and screaming, and then—**

**Magnus _stirred_ on the ground, a soft moan of pain slipping from his lips. And this time _everyone_ saw, everyone heard-**

Alike to the one on the paper, Alec let out a hysteric cry and threw himself onto the warlock.

**Alec breaks free in their shock, and instantly threw his arms around Magnus, crying tears of relief and joy. “ _Magnus,”_ he practically shouted, flinging himself to the floor at the warlock’s side and pulling him gently into his arms. “ _Magnus…_ ”  
**

The shadowhunter started to whisper words of relief and joy to his lover, overjoyed with the life of his warlock.

**Jace didn’t even realize how badly he’d been suffocating under the pain and grief radiating through the bond until it was gone, replaced by pure exhilaration and thrilled joy, relief burning bright and hot in his chest.**

**Magnus was… was _alive._**

At this point everyone close to the man was crying tears of joy. Alec was also hanging onto the man like he was his lifeline. Magnus caressed the back of his lover's head, giving him whispers of reassurance, telling him that he would never leave him like that. Never like that.

**Magnus, exhausted and confused, sagged into Alec’s arms, eyes blinking hazily. “Ale…alexander?” he rasped, throat sore and burning. “What’s… what’s going on? Is Madzie okay?”**

**All Alec could do was sob into his shoulder, clutching at him desperately. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I was angry and I didn’t mean any of it and I love you, I love you so much. I thought I’d lost you and you’re everything to me, please, I love you…”**

**Magnus hugged him back, even though he was tired and confused. His limbs felt heavy and his whole body felt weak and cold, but he still tried his best to wrap his arms around Alec comfortingly.**

**The words registered a little late. _I love you._**

**Magnus’s eyes widened.**

**Alec… loved him?**

"Of course I love you." Alec said, giving the warlock a watery smile. "How could I not?" He said, tightening his grip on the warlock. "Yeah, I guess I am pretty hard to dislike." Magnus said in a joking tone making the shadowhunter across his lap to laugh. "You're such a dork." Alec snorted, cheeks still wet from the tears. "But I'm your dork." Alec rolled his eyes jokingly and gave the warlock, one that was deep, intimate and loving. "Yes, yes you are."

**“I love you, too,” he said softly. It was sincere: he loved Alec more than anything. But he hadn’t Alec felt the same, not yet. He’d hoped maybe one day he would, but he wasn’t holding his breath.**

**Alec only squeezed him tighter, clutching him as close as he could. “I love you so much,” he mumbled brokenly. “I’m so sorry, I love you…”**

**Magnus relaxed into him, snuggling slightly into his embrace. He still felt weak, and Alec’s strong arms around him and warm, broad chest were comforting and a good support.**

**That’s how Clary and the others found them: Magnus slumped in Alec’s arms, nuzzling against his chest, and Alec clutching him close with silent tears running down his face.**

"I'm pretty sure my heart got crushed in 6 different ways when reading this." Isabelle said while playing with Simon's hair. This statement caused many people voice their agreement, some voices scratchy from all of the crying.

"At least it had a happy ending." Simon said hesitantly with his head in the Lightwood girl's lap.

"Actually that's the part that confuses me." Izzy said, momentarily pausing from playing with the boy's hair. "How did Magnus survive that? Don't get me wrong! I'm glad he did, but how?"

"It's most likely has something to do with my heritage." Magnus said to the girl.

"What do you mean by that?"

"As you learned earlier my fa-ther is Asmodeus." Magnus said faltering at the word father.

"What does that have to do with that?" Jace asked.

"If you paid attention to what they taught us, you would know that Asmodeus isn't any demon, Jace. He's a fallen angel." Alec said looking at his brother with a look of disappointment.

Everyone in the room was quiet for a while before Izzy broke the silence.

"Damn, you really went and married yourself an angel."

"My boyfriend has angel blood, there's a different. We have angel blood Izzy."

"But Magnus has a closer relation to the angels than anyone else in this room."

"That isn't necessarily true dear." Maryse said.

"But he got himself an angel Mom. An angel!"

"Just imagine how family reunions must be. Wait, do you even have family reunions?" Isabelle said, turning to the warlock.

"Yes."

"How does that even work?"

"Well my father comes over. Just because he's a demon doesn't mean he doesn't care. He just shows it in a weird way. There's also some gifts that I get from my uncles, they really don't come to them like that anymore. There's also Lucifer, he gives the best presents."

"LUCIFER?!?!?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I just love Lucifer. If you think about it Magnus and Lucifer are really similar. Like really. They both own a nightclub, they have a badass lady friend, they're in love with badass law enforcers, they're great at giving nicknames, and they're both wonderful in bed*their words not mine* Am I the only one that finds it funny that Lucifer is terrified of children. I'm not saying anymore bc there be people out their that haven't watched it and I really don't want to spoil that much. I just want to say that Luci's my baby. And that Mazikeen is a fucking badass. And that Trixie is fucking adorable.


	19. Lucifer

"I can't believe you're actually related to Lucifer." Simon said to Magnus from his spot on the floor.

"I really don't see what the big deal is."

"DON'T SEE WHAT THE-" Simon cut himself off with a shake of his head. "You're related to the Devil. The King of Hell or Edom, whatever the hell you call it."

"Yeah and my father is a prince of hell. Your point is?" The warlock said with a raised eyebrow.

Simon looks at the man with as though as he's trying to see into his head. Which he probably was trying to do. But it looks like he gave up after a while.

"Since we're on the topic of Magnus heritage." I said as I popped into the room, spooking everyone.

"STOP DOING THAT!" Jace screamed at me.

I ignored him and continued to talk to the crowd. "I thought it would be good to have you react to Alec meeting Lucifer."

"ALEC MEETS LUCIFER?!" This time it was Clary that screams.

"I just said that, didn't I?"

Jace and Izzy snorted at the offended expression the Fairchild girl had on her face.

I snapped my fingers and gave everybody copy of the story. "We will be reading 'The Devil Goes To New York' by katychan666. I will also be censoring a couple of things. Now, let's get on with the story."

**Alec was happily sitting in the Pandemonium's sitting area as he was waiting for Magnus to return back with their drinks. It was a lovely Sunday evening and it was a perfect day for a night's out, so he, Magnus, Isabelle, Simon and Jace decided to go out. Clary was busy with some other things, so Alec was pleased with himself. It would better if the vampire stayed home as well, but not all could be perfect, thought Alec and he smiled to himself as he waited for Magnus to return back, the warlock turning around as he waited for the drinks, sending him a little wink across the place and Alec chuckled, then looked down and leaned back in his seat. It definitely was a good evening to be out.  
**

"I can't believe Alec's actually at a club." Izzy blinked.

"Willing." Jace added.

"I guess it's really true when they say 'Love makes you do crazy things'." Clary said with a smirk.

**Suddenly, Alec's peace was disturbed when someone sat next to him and the hunter's eyes went huge as he looked to his left and saw a very, very handsome man sitting next to him. He cleared his throat and then pressed his lips together. What did he want? He was probably just there by mistake and Alec's frown deepened when the man came a bit closer to him.  
**

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that attractive men like you, big brother?" Izzy asked with a frown.

Alec ignored her and went back to reading the story.

**"Well, hello there," said the handsome stranger with a silky voice and Alec looked around, just to see if the other was indeed talking to him. "Why look around, I'm talking to you, of course," said the man and Alec felt his cheeks heating up. Yes, Magnus was number one, this man couldn't even compare to Magnus, but there was just something about him... maybe it was the way his eyes were sparkling under the dim lights of the club, or maybe it was the British accent. Alec couldn't really put a finger on what really attracted him to him.  
**

"You've had a thing for accents, especially British." Izzy teased.

Alec flushed and bit the inside of his check while he denied her accusation.

"I know you inside and out Alec. You can't lie to me."

Alec turns away from her sister only to see Magnus give the shadowhunter a smirk.

"Shut up." Alec said quietly as he pushed the warlock's face away. Magnus laughs at this and gently pushes his boyfriend's hand out of his face, getting back to reading the story.

"Oh, um, hi?" asked Alec and made a short pause. "Why are you talking with me?"

**"Oh, a straightforward one, are you? I like that, especially after the Detective..." started the other, but then his voice trailed off. "You're a Nephilim," he stated and Alec cocked his head to the side, eyes widening when the other tracked one of his runes with his finger. "I've never been with an angel blooded creature before. I suppose Dad wouldn't be too happy if I played with one of you, but there's just something about-"**

Magnus narrows his eyes at this and huffs at the man getting close to his Alexander.

"I have a boyfriend, not interested," said Alec quickly, question marks in his eyes, because he didn't get what the hell the other was talking about.

**"Oh, I don't mind," he said. "He could join us. So, interested?" asked the other and showed his perfect smile to Alec, who quickly shook his head, because no way. Nope. Threesomes weren't his thing!**

Alec blushes at this while Magnus rubs his back.

"Poor Alec." Izzy giggled.

**"Nope," said Alec and pulled back, the other giving him a sulky expression and Alec frowned.**

**"How about if I buy you a drink?" tried the stranger again.**

**"My boyfriend just went to fetch some... oh and there he is right now," said Alec, pointing to Magnus, who was returning back with two glasses of drinks and Alec couldn't be happier. Maybe then the annoying guy would take a hint and leave! "Magnus, you're back... Thank God. Meet Magnus my-"**

**"Why do you people keep mentioning my father?" snapped the man and rolled his eyes, groaning and then emptied his glass of drink, his eyes widening when he looked at Magnus, who looked as shocked, if not even more, when he saw the man chatting up to Alec.**

**"Lucifer?!" snapped Magnus and almost dropped the drinks. "What are you doing in New York? Did my father..."**

Suddenly everybody in the room was choking on air.

"LUCIFER WAS HITTING ON YOU!" Clary shouted.

"I'm done." Simon said as he stood up. "I'm so done with this. Like really, I'm so done." Simon started to walk to the back of the room. "I could take everything else, but this is too much. My bestfriend's boyfriend's brother's boyfriend's uncle, the devil, is hitting on my bestfriend's boyfriend's brother. My life is fucki-" The crowd stared as Simon just walked out of the door, that wasn't there 5 minutes before.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Izzy whispered to the redhead.

"Just give him 7-15 minutes, he'll be fine."

**"Magnus Bane!" said Lucifer happily and Alec's eyes just grew huge, to the point of almost falling out of his eye sockets. Lucifer, as in the devil? The devil was trying to flirt with him before? For a devil, he was quite handsome, one could say, hot as hell? So if Asmodeus was Magnus' father and Lucifer's brother, which meant... "It's been so long, nephew," said Lucifer and Alec just kept his mouth shut and Lucifer then started laughing. "Oh, Asmodeus isn't causing any problems, he's well behaved, at least in this century," said Lucifer with amusement and Magnus slowly sat down. "I was just in town and wanted to see how my favourite nephew is doing."  
**

"This is really crazy." Jace said with wide eyes.

"I know." Izzy whispered.

"Then what are you doing here?"

**"Oh, taking a break from hell," said Lucifer. "It's so boring and dull down there. Punishing mortals isn't as fun anymore, so I decided to take a little break. Dad doesn't appreciate it as much, do you?" asked Lucifer and looked up, Alec frowning, but then it finally made sense. He was talking to God? Man, was all of this so weird. "So I'm currently in Los Angeles, solving crimes. When I heard that a certain Magnus Bane owns a nightclub here in New York I just had to come and see it with my own two eyes and-"**

"The devil solves crimes?" Maryse questioned hesistantly.

"That's what it seems like Mom." Izzy replied.

"My Uncle has always been unpredictable." Magnus sighs, rubbing his temples together. Annoyed by the older man's behavior.

"I can see the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." Jace snorted.

"Shut it dye-job."

**"Wait, what? Solving crimes?" asked Magnus.**

**"Yes, I'm working with Los Angeles' police department. I'm a consulting detective and-" started explaining Lucifer, looking far too proud of himself and that was when Alec burst into loud laughter. "I beg you a pardon?" asked Lucifer and looked at Alec, Magnus as confused.**

"And I'm right with them." Clary said with a raised eyebrow. "Why would you laugh at that?"

Alec shrugged his shoulders.

**"So, you... the devil, The actual Devil, are taking a vacation from hell... in Los Angeles and you're now solving crimes and helping Mundanes?" asked Alec and then started laughing again. "Magnus, your family is hilarious," he then added, Magnus' worries that Alec would be too freaked out fading, but then again, Alec knew that his father was Asmodeus, so he knew he didn't have much to worry about it.  
**

"I really don't think there's much that would actually freak Alec out." 

"True. Plus he loves Magnus way too much to let something as little as bloodlines to get in the way of that." Izzy said after a thought.

Magnus flashes Alec a smile at this, causing the shadowhunter to blush a strawberry red.

"You have no ideas," said Magnus with amusement. "Family reunions are always... quite something."

"Now that's something I really want to see." Clary said with a look of interest.

"Same."

Clary's head turned to her right to see that Simon was sitting right besides her, his head buried in the paper.

"When did you even get back in here?"

"Somewhere around when Magnus said that Jace had a dye-job."

"I DON'T HAVE A DYE-JOB!" Jace shouted over all of the snorts of amusemant.

"Keep telling yourself that."

**"Well, if you must know, I am pretty useful Detective," said Lucifer, offended and Alec almost started laughing again. He was acting like an overgrown child and in some ways, he did remind him of Magnus. Just like Magnus, he seemed to be a fan of compliments and could quite easily get offended if something wasn't up to his liking. "My powers help me to always get the truth out of the humans. It's fun, actually."  
**

"What kind of powers does Lucifer even have?"

"I believe your about to see in a second dear." Magnus said as he patted the shadowhunter's hand.

**"I bet," said Magnus and rolled his eyes.**

**"Perhaps I should try if they work on you, Little Angel," said Lucifer and Alec wrinkled his nose at the nickname.**

Alec did the same as he story counterpart and wrinkled his nose. Magnus also narrowed his eyes at his Uncle's advances towards his boyfriend.

**"Lucifer, stop it," growled Magnus, not too fan of where things were going. He didn't want to, but he felt a bit jealous and he huffed under his breath when he saw Lucifer trying to make a move on Alec. Magnus knew about Lucifer's reputation and it made his skin crawl when Lucifer lightly placed his hand on top of Alec's and went closer.  
**

Everyone grimaced at this, feeling sick at the idea of Lucifer getting closer to the shadowhunter.

**"Tell me, Nephilim, what do you wish for?" asked Lucifer and Alec narrowed his eyes, but then felt a strange force pulling him in when he looked into Lucifer's eyes. "Tell me, what you desire?" he asked and Alec felt the sudden urge to tell exactly what was on his mind.**

**"Magnus," blurted out Alec.**

Clary, Jace and Izzy snorted at this.

"Magnus?"

**"Yeah," whispered Alec and let out a little shaky breath. "I want to push him now, strip him off of his clothes and the lift his legs up far up in the air and take him completely. Fill him up to the brim, so that he could only think of me," blurted out Alec and his eyes widened. Did he just say that out loud?! His cheeks were burning hot with embarrassment and he looked at Magnus, who winked at him, while Lucifer looked quite impressed.**

**( _A/N Just pretend everything I crossed out was bleeped. It isn't crossed out in the actual story.)_  
**

"What the fuck did he say?" Clary said with a look of confusion.

"I don't know, but from hearing all of the censoring it was probably highly explicit." Ragnor said, sending a grin to Magnus.

Magnus just flipped the older warlock off and went back to reading the story.

**"For an angel blooded creature your mind is pretty filthy, I like it," said Lucifer. "What else to you desire for, little one? If you have any hidden fantasies, dear old Lucifer could make them come true," said Lucifer and Magnus felt annoyance creeping in again.  
**

Alec blushes at the looks his friends and siblings were giving him.

"Now we most definitely know he said something explicit." Simon snorted.

"Shut it mundane."

"Not going to be a mundane in the near future." Simon shot back.

"Then shut it blood sucker."

"Rude."

**"I want to marry Magnus and spend the rest of my life with him," blurted out Alec and Lucifer rolled his eyes. Boring, he thought. He wanted to hear something more interesting than just marriage. "I want to marry Magnus in Idris, we'd have a beautiful Shadowhunter wedding and then we would adopt bunch of children and live happily ever after," said Alec and his eyes widened when he snapped out of his trance, Magnus looking quite touched next to him.  
**

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww." Clary, Izzy and Lydia cooed.

Clary heard the third voice and did a quick look back to see her cousin sitting right next to her. "When did you even get here?" Lydia gave her a shrug. "Somewhere around the bleeping."

**"You want to have children with me?" asked Magnus with a small voice and Alec gave him a shy smile.  
**

"Why wouldn't I?" The shadowhunter asked the warlock with a bright smile."

Magnus took one look at him and took a page out of Alec's book and immediately turned to the darkest shade of red the shadowhunter has ever seen.

"Don't go and say things like that out of no where." The Indonesian mumbled.

"I didn't say anything wrong though." His boyfriend said with a soft smirk.

"You know exactly what you're doing." Alec gave him a shrug.

"Do I?" He asked in mock confusion.

"Just be quiet and read the story." Alec snorted at his reaction and did as he was told.

**"Of course," said Alec and Lucifer groaned.**

**"Boring," announced the devil and scooted closer to Alec again. "What else do you desire for, come on, little one. You can tell Lucifer everything, I can make even the filthiest of your desires come true," purred Lucifer and touched Alec's arm, Magnus quickly yanking it away, but Lucifer didn't allow himself to get lost off track.**

"Poor big brother."

**"I want to be punished," said Alec and bit into his lower lip.**

**"Oh, punishment is what you crave for, is it?" asked Lucifer and licked across his lower lip. "You're in luck, I'm a master of punishment, so I could-"**

**"What, you? No, you're too old and you sound too British. I want Magnus to punish me, not you," blurted out Alec and Lucifer's eyes widened when Alec said that as he was still under control of his powers, so it was indeed the truth. Lucifer sulked again, while Magnus wore a victorious smile proudly.**

"Why is he so surprised?"

"Because not many people can resist his charm dear."

"Oh."

**"Well, there you go, I win again, dear uncle," said Magnus and wrapped his arms around Alec and pulled him closer, holding him away from Lucifer and the hunter started cracking up.**

**"There's no competition, Magnus," said Alec and rolled his eyes. "Of course I'd always pick you."**

"Awwwww-" Jace slammed his hand on his sister's mouth.

"No more 'awwwing'" He said in annoyance.

Izzy rips his hand off and rubs her mouth a little, pouting while doing so.

"Didn't have to be so rough." She grumbled.

Jace ignored her, much to the girl's displeasure.

**"Of course it's a competition. Everything's a competition. You might have won over that little mortal, but," said Lucifer and started looking around the club. "At least Lux is better than your club. Pandemonium, you call it?" scoffed Lucifer.**

"Of course the devil owns a club." Maryse muttered, rubbing her temples together.

**"Lux?"**

**"My nightclub."**

**"Oh, the devil owns a nightclub, sure, all makes sense," said Alec and shook his head.**

Magnus snorted at the reaction.

**"You should come by some time, without Magnus," said Lucifer, who seemed to recover from the previous blow into his confidence.**

**"I would appreciate it if you stopped hitting on my boyfriend, uncle," hissed Magnus and Lucifer rolled his eyes.**

**"Fine, fine. I forgot how touchy you get about the mortal ones," said Lucifer and then looked around the club, looking for someone. "Where did she go?"**

**"She?"**

**"Mazikeen," said Lucifer, looking around and he narrowed his eyes when he saw Maze speaking to another angel blooded creature, female, and pretty good looking as well. He glanced back at Alec and then back at the girl, Lucifer quite quickly realising that the two were probably related. All angel blooded creature looked the same to him, to be honest, so maybe he was mistaken. Probably not.**

"Oh no." Magnus groaned.

"Oh yes." Ragnor laughed.

**"Oh, um," stammered Isabelle when she was suddenly approached by a good looking woman. Usually, she wasn't into women at all, but there just something about this one that just screamed sex. As she came closer, she wrapped her fingers around one of her hair strands and bit into his lower lip, previously asking her if she was interested for some fun. "I'm flattered, but I'm, um, straight and-"  
**

Jace snorted while Alec looked at Izzy at shock. He's really seen Izzy get flustered before.

Izzy just pushed her brother, causing his snorts to turn into full on laughter.

Jace was now currently dying on the floor, Alec's pretty sure is he looked closer he might see him starting to foam from the mouth.

**"Not when I'm done with you," purred Maze and stepped closer to her. "You're hot, come on, loosen up, we could have so much fun. And-"**

**"I have a boyfriend!" squeaked Isabelle and pointed to Simon, who was ordering them drinks. "See, that's him right there."**

"What?!" Clary nearly screeched.

That line immediately got Jace to sober up.

He looked at the mundane, who was currently red in the face from the wink Izzy sent him.

Clary was now currently squeezing the life out of Simon, happy that her two bestfriends were going to be dating in the near future.

**"I don't mind."**

**"Excuse me?"**

**"He can join us. Or just watch us," said Maze. "Or, I can watch you two," she said and shrugged. "I don't mind. Do you?"**

Simon's face turned at least 10 different shades of red in the last 3 seconds.

Poor guy.

**"Oh, I-I..." stammered Isabelle and only then saw that her necklace, which was detecting the demons, was lightened up and her eyes widened. She looked around and frowned. She saw no demons. "I'm afraid I must go, there's a demon on the loose and-"  
**

"She's right in front of you." Magnus said with a shake of his head. Maze could be such a handful sometimes.

**"Oh that's just me," announced Maze. "And your little thing around your neck is probably detecting Lucifer as well. But enough about me, why don't you tell me your name instead and-" started Maze, but was interrupted once again by Isabelle.**

**"You're a demon?"**

**"Yes, but I go by the name Mazikeen, it's the name you'll be screaming out tonight."**

Jace went back to laughing at his sister's embarrassment, again much to her displeasure.

**"You're awfully confident, aren't you?" asked Isabelle and swallowed thickly, trying her best to come up with something to get Maze off her back. Of course she thought that the demon was attractive, but Simon was more important. Simon looked at her and gave her a little smile, then looked away.**

**"Oh your boyfriend is quite cute, I wouldn't mind doing both of you at all," said Maze, licking her lips again and Isabelle jumped when she found herself pinned against the wall. She panicked, but then saw her saviour in the distance.**

**Raj.**

Everyone snorted at this. How was Raj going to be her saviour, the man could barely save himself.

**Oh, poor dear Raj needed to get laid and spending some time with Maze would change a grumpy Shadowhunter into a much more happier one. Who knew!  
**

Raj squawked in disagreement, but it was drowned out by the sounds of amusement around the room.

**"Since-since I'm taken," said Isabelle and quickly slipped away, went to Raj, grabbed his wrist and before he could open his big stupid mouth, he was already standing in front of Maze, who was now looking him up and down, eyes narrowing and she then looked at Isabelle.**

**"Will he be joining us too?" asked Maze, intrigued. "A foursome, not bad for an angel blooded creature. I thought you'd be more prudish, but-"**

"Izzy, a prude." Jace snorted.

"Shut it."

**"No, no... listen," said Isabelle and dragged Maze to the side, Raj looking at them all confused but one glance at Maze made him stay there like a good puppy and he wondered what the hell did Isabelle have up her sleeve. "I'd be honoured... but my boyfriend... it's a no. However," said Isabelle and Maze gave her an annoyed look, rolling her eyes. "My friend up there," said Isabelle and pointed to Raj. "He is very, very uptight," she said and Maze glanced at the other Shadowhunter, grinning.**

**"Oh, not after I'm done with him," said Maze. Isabelle was about to tell her that he was kind of an ass, but Maze didn't need more detail. Isabelle just wanted Maze to flirt a bit with him, but dear Raj was getting more than he first bargained.**

"Poor Raj." Izzy snorted.

"He'll be fine."

**Asshole or not, he was hot and she already charged and was ready to attack. "Hello there, I'm Maze," said the hot demon and extended her hand out to Raj, who was drooling at the spot and took it, kissing the back of her palm.  
**

Raj made a noise of embarrassment, which everyone ignored.

**"I'm... um..." stammered the hunter. "...Raj?" he said when he finally remembered his own name and he couldn't stop staring at Maze and the other smiled victorious when she saw how big of an impact she had on the other.**

**"So, Raj," said Maze. "What is a big, bad Shadowhunter like you doing in here?" asked Maze and leaned against him, Raj just standing there like a useless piece of wood and he then let out an awkward giggle. Maze groaned, maybe he was hot, but he was pretty useless. Maybe she should have listened to the one before when she was trying to warn her that-**

**Luckily Raj got shit together after that and Maze rocked his world later on.**

Izzy snorted at this.

**When Isabelle finally got away from Maze, she returned to Simon and just dragged him out of there, telling him everything. Raj, on the other hand, got pretty lucky that day. Legend says it that he was a completely changed man after that experience, waltzing into the Institute the next day, telling everyone how pretty the world was.  
**

Raj groaned while everyone else laughed at his expense.

**Lucifer rolled his eyes, but then smiled when he saw Maze leaving the club with someone else and he then looked at Magnus and Alec, who were now busy with talking and laughing, Lucifer offended that the other two were so obviously ignoring him. He was the devil, The Punisher of hell, the most...**

**"Why is he pouting?" asked Alec.**

"The devil....pouts."

"Yeah, he does it all the time." Magnus said not catching the surprise on the young Fairchild's face.

**"Because we're ignoring him," said Magnus. "He likes to be in the center of attention and if he isn't he turns into a whiny five year old," commented Magnus and Alec wanted to point out that he was kind of being unfair, since he also liked being in centre of attention, but Alec decided to keep his mouth shut. It was kind of hilarious how alike Magnus and Lucifer were.  
**

Ragnor, Cat and Raphael snorted at this.

"He's got you down Mags."

"I do no act like that."

"I'm pretty sure you do." Izzy piped up, pursing her lips as she was doing so.

"Oh do shut up," said Lucifer and said something under his breath.

**"Alec, have you seen Izzy?" asked a voice and Alec turned around, seeing that Jace was talking to him.**

**"Oh, um, I think she left with Simon," said Alec.**

**"Oh, great. She ditched me too," said Jace, miserable that Clary wasn't with him. "What am I supposed to do now?" whined Jace.**

**"Well, you can join us," said Magnus.**

**"No offense, but I'd rather not, you'll end up ignoring me either way," said Jace speaking from experience. He then glanced at the stranger sitting next to them and he narrowed his eyes when he saw that he was staring at him in a rather judgemental way. "Who are you?" asked Jace in his cocky manner.**

**"Lucifer Morningstar," said Lucifer in a proud manner and raised head.**

**"Funny," started Jace and started making fun of him. "Lucifer like the devil... man... you're delusional," started and Alec's eyes widened, shaking his head and telling Jace to shut the fuck up.**

"I'm telling you, this shit only happens to me."

"It's because you don't listen and when you do listen you can't keep your mouth shut." Izzy said, flicking the man on the arm.

"I listen to people." He said as he rubbed the aching spot on his arm.

"No. Not really."

**"Jace, he is the devil," whispered Alec and Jace's face went blank and he stared at Lucifer.**

**"W-what?"**

**"Yes, it would appear I'm the actual devil, funny... isn't it?" asked Lucifer. "Oh, we're not brave anymore as we were before," said Lucifer and leaned closer to Jace. "You remind me of someone," he then said, amused. He reminded him of Dan. Detective Douche. "You're just like the Douche," announced Lucifer.**

Everyone snorted at this, much to the shadowhunter's annoyance.

**"What did you call me?"**

**"Douche. Annoying, overconfident, cocky, but deep down a coward," said Lucifer and grinned. "Tell me, Duche Junior... what do you wish for? What is your desire?" he asked, mainly for his own entertainment because he was getting bored.**

"I am not a coward." Jace grumbled.

"Not most of the time, but he got everything else right." Alec grinned.

"Of course the one person I thought I could rely on betrays me."

"Just saying the truth."

**"I wish... I was more well endowed," blurted Jace and then his eyes went huge when he realised he had said that out loud. Everyone at the table, including Lucifer, started laughing like crazy and Jace flushed with anger.  
**

"What did he say?!" Clary whispered-shouted. Her bestfriend shrugged his shoulders, along with Izzy.

**"Just like Dan," said Lucifer and Jace angrily stomped away.**

**"Oh my God," started Alec, laughing and Lucifer narrowed his eyes when the idiot mentioned his father again, but didn't make a comment about it. "Oh, man, I love you, I've never seen Jace so mad," he then added and Lucifer smiled proudly.**

"Did you just say you love the devil?"

"Yeah?"

"The devil."

"Yup."

"The freaking devil."

"For the last time, yes. I said I love the ruler of Edom. What else do you want to hear mundane?"

"Just asking."

**"See, he loves me," said Lucifer to Magnus, who was unamused, but he had to hand it to Lucifer. That was funny.**

**"You must visit more often," said Alec. "Oh, Magnus, I want to meet the rest of your family," he then added, still laughing. "I can't wait to introduce you to my mom," said Alec then and Lucifer was basically glowing at that. Compliments was a way to win him over.**

**"Alexander, it wouldn't be very wise if Maryse-"  
**

"I wouldn't mind meeting him." Maryse said hesitantly with an awkward smile on her face. Magnus decided to give her an A+ for effort, at least she was trying to make sure that she'll be accepting of everything that will practically be thrown at her face.

**"It's settled," said Lucifer and shook Alec's hand. "We totally should hang out more now that we're family. Right, nephew?" asked Lucifer and Magnus groaned, but softened up when Alec wrapped his arms around him and kissed him, kissing his annoyance away.**

**Fine, maybe having Lucifer around would be fun, was what Magnus confessed to himself.**

"You just want more kisses, don't you?"

"Maybe." Alec sighs and shakes his head.

"You can't do anything about it now. You're stuck with me now."

"Pfft."

"Shut it mundane."

"Rude."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Sorry for taking so long to update.


	20. I'm Sorry

I don't think I'll be able to update as frequently. School just started around 3 weeks ago but they give so much work and it's too much to handle. And then when I finish school I still have other shit to do.

I'm so happy more people are reading my story and I'm so happy you enjoy it. I wish I could update more for you guys.

You always more than welcomed to give requests for the story(as long as it isn't 18 +)

Sorry again.

Plz stay safe and have a good day.

I'm so very sorry.

-Dani


	21. Ice cream and Chill(NOT LIKE THAT)

"It's time for more Alec bonding time!" 

Everyone in the crowd looked at me with yet another look of confusion.

Before anyone could ask questions, I decided to explain my intentions. "We are going to read about Alec and Clary bonding, but this time Izzy is being added in into the mix!" I snapped my fingers and gave everybody a copy of the story.

"The story is called 'chilling and ice cream' by attachiantenephilim(AO3)." I cleared my throat as I started to read.

**It's been two years since Clary's life drastically changed and after some... puzzling adventures (her origins, the discovery of a psychotic father and brother, dating her not-really-brother, dating her best friend, her ability to create runes, her mother's death... oh, and let's not forget her real brother kissed her), Clary is proud to say she progressed as a shadowhunter. Jace was the one in charge of her training, and even if making out is a huge part of their sessions, she's on her way to become a good shadowhunter. The one her mother would have been proud of. Also, Clary gained a few friends in this new world, and the best of them all, was obviously Isabelle Lightwood. Since the beginning, Izzy has been nothing but a huge support to her.  
**

"I have a brother?!" Clary shouted in shock. "You dated Simon?" Jace's face scrunched up in digust. "She can create runes?" There are now whispers going around the room, most of them being about the girl's ability to create runes. Before anything could escalate any further I stepped in and kindly told everyone to shut the fuck up.

**... which hasn't always been the case of Izzy's dear big brother, Alec.**

**But after some rough starts, Clary liked the idea that they get on rather well, now. Kinda. He was her boyfriend's parabatai after all, and she knew Alec was also trying to make efforts with her for Jace's sake. Which is why she was surprised and mostly confused, by what the oldest Lightwood just asked her.**

**"I'm sorry... You need me for a what?" she responded, her eyes narrowing.**

**"Izzy needs us for a CIC" he repeated, looking a little irritated. It wasn't a secret that Alec hated to repeat himself. Except for Magnus, he would repeat a mantra for the rest of his life, just for the warlock.**

Izzy gasped with shock, her eyes basically sparkling with joy.

**"And what exactly is a CIC?"**

"Magic." Isabelle sighed.

**"We'll explain to you later. But for now, I need you to tell me your favourite ice cream flavour."**

**"Okay, this is getting weirder" the readhead said "But um, it's mint chocolate chip."**

**"Good. Just be in Izzy's room in forty minutes."**

**Clary couldn't reply anything because Alec was already gone. The young girl checked the hour and it was mid-evening, so she decided she would take a shower before going to Izzy's room. Forty minutes later, she knocked and came in after Izzy told her she could. And... Let's just say the Isabelle Lightwood she saw, was an Isabelle she's never seen before. The brunette was make-up free, had a messy bun instead of her perfectly curled hair, and was wearing shorts with just a sweater too big for her. Clary was almost sure it was one of Alec's actually.**

Jace and Alec sucked their teeth knowing that if Izzy was acting like this something big must've happened.

 **"Izzy? Are you okay?** "

**"No. I'm angry and hungry, which is funny because those two words both have the same three letters at the end." Izzy said, laying in her unmade bed and Clary wondered if she wasn't high on Yin Fen again. But after a moment considering the idea, she concluded that Izzy was just upset.**

"MY DAUGHTER DID WHAT?!" Robert yelled.

"We'll talk about that later." I said to the man, putting tape over his mouth just to make sure.

**"What's going on? Alec told me to come in your room for a... CIC? I didn't really get what he meant."**

**At that, Izzy's face lit up and she squeaked of happiness.**

**"Yaaas, CIC night! Alec is the best." She exclaimed, raising herself on her knees.**

**"Believe me, I know that" Alec's voice said, and Clary almost jumped of surprise when he appeared from behind and sat beside Izzy with a grocery bag.**

**"Love you so much big brother, you don't know how much I craved ice cream today!" Izzy stated while hugging her brother who rolled his eyes. But still, his eyes were full of affection for his little sister.**

**Izzy finally realized Clary was still standing in the middle of the room, confused.**

**"So, Clary, welcome to one of our CIC's" Izzy started to explain with a big smile on her face. "It means Chilling and Ice cream. It's kind of a tradition Alec invented when one of us is upset, and we just chill together while eating ice cream."**

"That seems interesting." Cat commented with a nod.

**"Also, we watch super girly movies because I can never choose what we're watching." The young man added, sighing.  
**

"Don't act like you hate it." Izzy snickered causing the oldest Lightwood sibling to blush.

**"Hey! You weren't complaining when we watched that documentary about One Direction, you couldn't stop drooling in front of Harry Styles!"**

Everyone around Alec snorted at this, Izzy and Jace being the loudest.

"I wasn't drooling over him." Alec snapped, the blush starting to get fiercer on his cheeks.

Isabelle giggled, much to her brother's displeasure.

**"Wha- No! I didn't!" Alec protested, and it made Clary laugh out loud.**

**"Well, it's a pretty cool tradition" She finally said, grinning.**

**"Yeah, and... Since you and Izzy became close, I thought it would be cool if you could... join us." Alec told with a small voice, scratching the back of his head embarrassed, and honestly, Clary was feeling very touched by the attention. Alec was letting her in, and she was happy of it. Also, seeing Alec and Izzy doing such a cocooning and mundane thing like this, reminded her of the many game nights she used to have with Simon. She missed those simple moments.**

Izzy gave the Fairchild girl a smile of sympathy, saying how sorry she was for dragging her into this mess. Clary quickly shook her head, "It's not like I wouldn't have been dragged in anyway. Plus, you guys were the best choice. I really don't want to be dragged out of my house by Valentine's goons." Izzy gave Clary a hug, one that seemed to be full of relief, happiness and sincerity . Promising her that she would make sure that she'll be their for the redhead no matter what.

**Clary smiled, thanking the pair and they all settled in Izzy's king size bed with the brunette in the middle of them. Alec gave her a mint chocolate chip ice cream bowl, he bought cookies dough for Izzy and his was strawberry cheesecake.**

**"So, why are you angry Izzy?" She asked with a spoon of ice cream in her mouth.**

**"Urgh, that dumbass Meliorn turned me down for good. Like, it's not like we were dating, we just spend some quality time together! And last night, he told me I was out of his league now! Like seriously? That faerie asshole..."**

Everyone turned the Seelie in mentioned and some decided to kindly flip off the man, other just gave him a look of question and disbelief. The Seelie Queen on the other hand had a small smile on her face, one that you would have to squint _really really_ hard to see.

**Clary had to retain herself from laughing because of how much of a drama queen her best friend could be sometimes. Plus, she was talking as much as Simon and from the look in Alec's eyes, it was only the beginning. She kept on ranting about Meliorn and how he wasn't that good in bed, anyway.  
**

Jace, Magnus and many other downworlders snorted at this, much to Merliorn's displeasure.

**"Too much details." Her brother said, wincing. "Want me to get Jace to beat him up for you? I can't, since I have to welcome him every month for the cabinet meetings."  
**

Jace stood up, ready to go and teach the Seelie a lesson but was quickly pulled down by Clary and Izzy, telling him not to do anything brash.

**"Nah, he's not worth it. Whatever. I think I'm just... sad to be alone again..."**

**"What do you mean?" Clary asked. "You're not alone Izzy, we're here for you."**

**"I know, and I appreciate it, but I meant... in my romantic life. Seeing both of you so happy with Jace and Magnus make me realize that maybe... I want to have that too." Izzy whispered her last sentence with sad eyes while she was swallowing a new spoon of ice cream.**

"It doesn't seem that I'll be alone for much longer." Isabelle said as she gave Simon a smirk which made his face turn blood red.

**Alec put his arm around her shoulders, his frame enveloping hers and Clary was playing affectionately with one lock of hair falling on her face.**

**"Iz', come on. You know you're going to find someone eventually." Alec started. "Maybe tomorrow, in a week, in a month... Sometimes it takes time but at least, it will be someone great who'll treat you with respect."**

**"He's right." The redhead added, trying to not show how surprised she was by Alec being a real comfort to his little sister. He always looks so rigid and stern but he's actually a real teddy bear. "Mostly, you don't really look for love, it just happens. It's like a connection with this special person and then... You know that no matter what happens, he's always here for you. Even if your psychotic father makes you believe he's your brother."**

Every grimaced at this and wandered what the story was behind it.

**The two siblings burst out laughing and Clary and Alec were glad to see Izzy feeling better.**

**"Thank you guys for the advice though. I guess I have to wait for the right one... Anyway, we're gonna change subjects because you both look like lovesick puppies, thinking about your men."**

**"Speaking of love... How's Magnus?" Clary asked slyly, knowing Alec was embarrassed to talk about his love life or feelings in general. And indeed, he blushed, which made Clary laugh.**

**"I hate you, I'll never invite you in our CIC's again. And he's fine, he misses both of you by the way."**

**"Aww really?" Izzy smiled, having developed some affection for her brother's boyfriend. She, of all people, knew he was what Alec needed in his life.**

**"Yeah, he's always saying that he wants a shopping spree with his biscuit and his future sister-in-law."**

Alec blushed at this, while Ragnor, Cat and Raph looked at Magnus with a look of surprise. They never thought that Magnus would get married and he wouldn't have said it if he didn't mean it, jokingly or otherwise. And by the look on the warlock's face, he was thinking of the same thing.

**"With pleasure!" The two girls said simultaneously.**

**The trio kept on eating their ice creams, laughing and talking about everything and anything. Also, Isabelle was trying to steal some of Alec's ice cream because she liked switching flavours (and annoying her brother of course).**

**"Sooooo Alec..." Izzy started, raising her eyebrows suggestively.**

**"Please, don't ask." He sighed.**

**"How are things with Magnus in bed?"**

Alec choked on the strawberry he was currently chewing. Magnus quickly patted his boyfriend on the back, causing the strawberry to go down without anymore problems.  
  
Izzy cackled at her brother's flustered state. Jace was also laughing along with Clary and Simon while Max and Madzie had a look of confusion across their faces.

Maryse, Raphael and Cat frowned at the scene, Ragnor on the other hand joined Clary, Simon and Jace along with the laughing.  
  
 **"For the 500th time, I won't tell you anything about that."  
**

**"Such a buzzkill."**

**"Let him be Izzy, he wants Magnus all for himself."**

**"Exactly. By the Angel, I just agreed with Clary Fray. There must be something in the air." He joked, and Clary gave him a gentle nudge. Izzy was smiling, glad those two were bonding. But still, she was stubborn and wanted to know some juicy details about her brother's sex life.**

Alec groaned while Magnus laughed at his embarrassment.

**Alec, knowing she could be a real pain in the ass, sighed in resignation.**

**"I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but... Fine. What do you want to know?"**

Alec choked on another strawberry.

**Izzy clapped in her hands as if somebody had offered her a whip of diamonds. "Finallyyyy! Okay first, who ~~tops~~?"**

**_(_ ** **_A/N They can't read the ones that are crossed out)_ **

**"Both." Alec mumbled, his cheeks burning of embarrassment.**

"Wait, they both do what?" Izzy asked as she put her eyes close to the paper, trying to figure what the crossed out word was.

**"Ooooh, you naughty boy. Does it hurt?"**

Alec makes a noise somewhere between a choke, whine and groan.

**"Wait, you never tried... that way?" Alec asked, knowing his sister has way more experience than him, despite that she was younger.**

**"Hey, I know I have my fair share of experiences, but I have some limits. Sometimes. Anyway, answer the question!"**

**"... Yes, it hurts sometimes. I mean, especially the first time. Apart from that, it feels good. Satisfied now? Can we please talk about something else?"**

**"No no no, it's only the beginning, my dear brother." Izzy said sneakily, making Alec put his head in his hands. "So, if it does hurt sometimes, I take it that Magnus is ~~well hung~~?"**

"WHAT AM I SAYING?!" Izzy practically screams. Jace just looks at his sister like she was a hungry lion outside of it's cage.

Clary and Simon tried to snuffle their laughter as they saw Jace slowly back away from the other Lightwood.

**Clary was laughing so much that she had a stomach ache. Alec's face was priceless.**

**"How the hell did we end up talking about my boyfriend's ~~dick~~? Gosh... You know what, Isabelle Sophia Lightwood? Yes, my man is quite ~~blessed by nature~~. It's not for nothing that I ~~limped~~ all day long, last Saturday.**

"I'm honestly about to start crying if I don't know what's being said in this story." Izzy whined, face in her hands.

Jace and Alec shook their head at their sister's reaction. Although Alec's face still had a tint of red.

**"Ewwwwww! Okay, okay, I got it, too much details! Gosh, Alec!"**

"Now I really must be out of it because there is no way I would ever tell you that you're sharing too much about your sex life with Mag-" Jace quickly slapped his hand over her mouth, mostly because he didn't want to hear anything else, but also because Alec looked close to exploding at this point with Clary, Simon and Ragnor dancing on his dead body...or ashes. No, it's definitely going to be ashes.

**"Are we done now?" The oldest said, glad of his effect.**

**"Yeah, we better move on another conversation because I know Magnus since I'm a child, I don't want to laugh nervously every time I see him."**

**"Okay, fine, I know enough to blackmail Alec now."**

**"Don't you dare." Her brother warned.**

**As the evening was passing, Clary was having more and more fun. She hadn't realized she needed a night off in peace. And as much as she loves spending time with Jace, she was really enjoying Alec and Isabelle's company tonight.**

**Some minutes later, the Lightwood girl suggested a movie, but Alec didn't really want to watch "The Princess Diary". So, Izzy got another idea and put some music on...**

**... Never in her life, Clary thought she would see Alec Lightwood singing "Anaconda" with a spoon as a mic. Izzy was dancing on her bed and was singing along with her brother, whipping her hair like a rockstar. But later, she joined Izzy, dancing on her bed, and Alec sat back against the headboard, watching them with amusement.  
At midnight, Izzy fell asleep like a baby, and Alec covered her with a blanket. Him and Clary were now sat in front of the bed with pillows and the empty ice cream bowls.**

Alec's face was now flushed pink with Izzy basically cackling in his ear. "Now that is something I would most definitely want to see." Magnus said with a smirk causing the shadowhunter's face to go from pink to red. Alec just turned to the warlock with a look of disbelief causing the latter to giggle. "Now don't be embarrassed, Alexander." Magnus purred with his name rolling off his tongue. "I'm pretty sure you look would look adorable dancing on your bed singing to Anaconda with your sister and Biscuit." The warlock smirked, playing with his lover's hair. Clary, Izzy, Lydia and Simon all giggled at the Lightwood's now firefighter red face.

**“You’d better not repeat anything you saw or heard tonight, Fray.”**

**“You mean about your ~~sex~~ life? Or the fact that you have a crush on Harry Styles? Or that you rap better than Nicki Minaj?”**

"I mean it's too late for that now." Clary said, but started to trial off as soon as she saw Alec starting to glare at her.

**“Nothing. at. all.” He threatened with a pointed finger.**

**Clary snickered quietly, to not wake Izzy, and Alec was smiling, even if he really wanted Clary to keep her mouth shut. Or else, Jace would never let him see the end of it.**

"Never." Jace snorted.

**“I have to say… This is a side of you I’ve never seen before.” She declared when her laughter stopped. “You look… carefree, you laugh and smile more.”**

**Alec pointed his sleeping sister. “This is the Izzy-effect. I mean, I know I don’t tell her often, but she means the world to me. Her and Magnus, they’re like… the only ones capable to make me smile, even at my worst moments.”**

**It was probably the cutest thing Clary has ever heard from Alec. In fact, it was the cutest thing she’s ever heard, period. The strong love of a big brother for his little sister…  
…Something she’ll never know, unfortunately. Jonathan… or Sebastian, she didn’t even know how to call him anymore…**

Clary scrunched up her nose, not knowing what to do with this information of her "brother".

**Clary widened her eyes, surprised, but slowly a smile took shape on her face.**

**“I’m glad to know it, now.”**

"And this is where we stop the story." I told the crowd as I snapped my fingers and got rid of all of the papers

"Why?! There was like huge chunk of that we didn't even get to skim through." Izzy pouted.

"I did that because it would spoil the future."

"But you already spoiled the future when you brought us here."

"BUT, if I show you this I would spoil it even more."

"How does that even make sense?!" The Lightwood said, throwing her hands in the air.

"It just does, sweetheart."

".........."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm so so so so so sorry that this took so long to do. I was trying to work on this every free moment that I got, but it turns out that it still wasn't enough to get it done faster. This took like 3-4 weeks and I feel so disappointed in myself for taking so long, especially since the chapter was so short. I'm sorry if the chapter seems rushed and I'm sorry if some things don't make sense. But, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter.


	22. Malec Moments Pt.4

"Izzy, calm down. It's not a big deal."  
  
"If it's not a big deal, why won't she show us the rest of the story?" The girl asked with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Maybe because she simply just doesn't want us to know yet." Alec tried to explain.  
  
Before Izzy could get the chance to speak Magnus cut her off, "Isabelle, do you really want to argue with someone more powerful than everything in this room combined?"  
  
That seemed to do the trick, because the Lightwood dropped the topic and slumped down in her seat with a pouty expression. "Just because she's powerful doesn't mean that she's right." She mumbled.  
  
"Oh, please. We all know you just want to see more moments between your brother and your future brother-in-law." I smirked when I heard Alec choking in the background. "But, lucky for you. We are going on another moments spree."  
  
I snapped my fingers, putting the videos on the screen. "Remember to sit back, relax and enjoy the show."

"Pfffft-"

"Wait, what's even going on here?"

"I heard that wrong, I thought he said he was giving tremendous head to the head of the institute-"

"IZZY NO-"

"The look between Raphael and Magnus tho-"

"Why do I even stay around you?"  
  
"Because we're hilarious." Ragnor answered Raphael through his cackling.

"I want to hear more about this cabinet meeting."

'It's going to fail without a doubt.' The Seelie Queen thought to herself.

"Now, I know he isn't comparing his affair to my brother's relationship."

"No, he better not be."

"Izzy, Clary, calm down. We don't want to have you guys arrested for murder."

"It'll be worth it."

"Besides, it's not like anyone would miss him."

Maryse snorted after hearing the Fairchild's response, surprising everyone in the row plus Robert.

"Maryse, this is not a matter that should be taken lightly."

Maryse decided to ignore her (ex-)husband, seeing as that he was taking this shit too seriously.

"Now this is relationship goals."

"I just love how understanding Magnus is about Alec missing dinner."

"I know, I need to get myself a man like that."

Alec's face started to resemble the color of the lobster in the video from all of the comparisons, praises and compliments. Magnus saw this of course, and grabbed the shadowhunter's hand, only causing his face to get hotter. The couple was somewhat aware of all of the coos' and awws' being thrown around the room.

"What's happening here? Why are they fighting? They're not allowed to fight. This shouldn't be happening."

"Izzy, calm down."

"How can I calm down! Do you not see what's happening here?!"

"Honey, every couple has a few disagreements. It's a part of being in a relationship."

"Not with these two!"  
  
Everyone just ignored Izzy's confused screams after a while.

"So, when I fall all I get is, "Izzy are you ok?", but when Magnus falls he gets, "OMG BABY ARE YOU OK?!" I'm really feeling the love here bro."

"That's not how it went."

That's basically how it went." Jace coughed.

"Magnus."

"Sorry darling, but that's how it went."

"Izzy, are you crying?"

"They're jurst swoe cwute."

"I'll never understand why you're so interested in your brother's love life."

"I mean, it's better then wanting to have nothing to do with it."

"I guess so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I just realized I basically wrote crack. Also, I'm sorry for not updating in so long. And that it's so short.


End file.
